Bellingham police were chasing one reportedly stolen car, when another passed them
Bellingham police ended up simultaneously chasing two cars that were reportedly stolen out of Nevada, one of which twice attempted to hit patrol vehicles early Labor Day.
Zachary Kenneth Hertz, 32 of Bellingham, was booked into Whatcom County Jail Monday, Sept. 7, on suspicion of charges including attempted first-degree assault (two counts), possession of a stolen vehicle, eluding police vehicles and reckless driving. Jail records show he is being held in lieu of $250,000.
Sheri Denielle DeRaimo, 27 of Everett, was booked into the jail on suspicion of charges including, attempting to elude police vehicles, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen vehicle and is being held in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Shortly after 1 a.m. Monday an officer noted an unoccupied black Toyota Scion parked near the front entrance to the Baymont Inn on Meridian Street, according to Whatcom County Superior Court documents. The officer checked the license plate, and it came back to an Audi.
As the officer was about to get out to investigate, DeRaimo exited the hotel, got in the Scion and left the parking lot with no lights on, documents state. The officer attempted to stop the Scion, but it reportedly continued at a high rate of speed, reaching close to 90 mph as it traveled southbound on Meridian.
DeRaimo ran a number of red lights and stop sights before stopping in the 100 block of Alabama Street, documents state. DeRaimo reportedly told officers that she attempted to get away because she had a felony warrant from the Washington State Department of Corrections, and the Scion’s VIN number showed the car had been reported stolen out of Henderson, Nevada.
While chasing DeRaimo along Meridian, a second vehicle — a blue Nissan Altima, officers ultimately found was being driven by Hertz — came up behind pursuing officers at an estimated speed in excess of 100 mph, according to documents.
“It was believed to be a diversion from the other vehicle that was being pursued,” documents state.
Hertz’s Altima passed pursuing officers, then turned east on East Illinois Street at approximately 80 mph with officers also giving chase, documents state. Hertz reportedly ran a red light at Cornwall Avenue and continued south on Cornwall driving faster than 95 mph.
While on Cornwall, Hertz veered out of his lane and towards another oncoming police vehicle, documents state, forcing the officer to take evasive action to avoid being struck.
Hertz then failed to navigate a left turn onto Ohio Street, hit a curb and ran through an empty parking lot, before returning to the road and heading toward the southbound on-ramp to Interstate 5 at approximately 60 mph, according to documents. Before getting on the freeway, Hertz reportedly attempted to brake-check a pursuing officer, before swerving toward the patrol vehicle multiple times in an effort to run the officer off the road and force the officer to take evasive action.
Hertz then entered I-5 and began to accelerate until officers performed a successful Pursuit Intervention Technique, known as PIT, to immobilize the Altima, according to documents. Hertz was then taken into custody, and the Altima was found to be stolen out of Reno, Nevada.
During a search of the car DeRaimo was driving, police found a .40 caliber Taurus pistol, loaded with a full magazine, according to a press release on the incident Thursday, Sept. 10. DeRaimo is an eight-time convicted felon, making it illegal for her to possess a gun.
Nobody was injured in either pursuit, the release stated.
Court records show DeRaimo has multiple previous convictions for possession of a controlled substance, criminal impersonation, identity theft, taking a vehicle without permission, theft and possession of stolen property in Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish and San Juan counties.
Court records show Hertz has multiple previous convictions for possession of a stolen vehicle, attempting to elude police, hit and run of an unattended vehicle, driving with a suspended license, possession of stolen property, taking a vehicle without permission, criminal impersonation, vehicle prowling, theft, trafficking stolen property, bail jumping and burglary in Whatcom, Skagit and Okanogan counties.
This story was originally published September 10, 2020 at 1:52 PM.
