Spike strips don’t slow tenant on driveway, so Whatcom landlord allegedly escalates
After throwing spike strips to prevent a tenant from driving too fast down a driveway didn’t work, a Whatcom landlord reportedly smashed a couple of windows on the his tenant’s car and hit the tenant in the head.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office booked Peter Sorrel Malec, 43, into Whatcom County Jail Tuesday, Oct. 13, on suspicion of fourth-degree assault and second-degree malicious mischief, and jail records show he was released on personal recognizance.
Deputies were called at approximately 3 p.m. Tuesday to the 3800 block of Nelson Road in Deming for a landlord-tenant issue, sheriff’s office spokesperson Deb Slater told The Bellingham Herald.
The investigation showed Malec and his tenant had several areas of contention, included if the tenant drives too fast down the driveway, Slater reported.
In response, Malec set up spike strips on the driveway, according to Slater, but the tenant simply drove around them when he came home.
Malec then approached the car and smashed the windshield with a metal bar, Slater reported, before he threw another metal object at the car, shattering the passenger’s side window and hitting the tenant in the head.
Deputies arrested Malec without incident.
