Intoxicated driver smashes into Bellingham apartment, resists arrest, police say
A man smashed his truck into an apartment building on the 2300 block of Douglas Avenue and allegedly attempted to resist arrest Tuesday, Aug 11.
The Bellingham Police Department arrested Michael Sean Curtis, 36, on suspicion of driving under the influence, hit and run unattended, resisting arrest and third-degree assault, Lt. Claudia Murphy told the Bellingham Herald in an email.
Officers responded to a reported collision with an apartment building at 11:18 p.m. Tuesday and found the driver, later identified as Curtis, had fled the scene, according to Murphy. Witnesses described Curtis and the officers found him a short distance away.
Curtis allegedly attempted to enter a stranger’s apartment to avoid being caught and told police he was not the driver, Murphy wrote. From there, Curtis reportedly began insulting the officers with derogatory remarks, according to Murphy.
Officers arrested Curtis after developing probable cause for driving under the influence, Murphy wrote. On the way to the car, Curtis allegedly lunged at an officer walking up a set of stairs behind him in what Murphy described as an attempted “body check.”
Curtis missed the officer and fell to the ground, sustaining a minor injury to his chin, according to Murphy. This interaction prompted the officers to carry him to their car and to later book him for resisting arrest and attempting to assault an officer.
Officers booked him at Whatcom County Jail where he has since been released on his own recognizance, according to jail booking logs.
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