With COVID-19 restrictions, did Whatcom County see fewer DUIs this holiday season?
A Washington State Patrol trooper’s vehicle was clipped by a suspected impaired driver during a pursuit early New Year’s Day in Bellingham, highlighting a holiday season that, despite state COVID-19 restrictions, still saw a significant number of suspected DUIs.
Troopers stationed in Bellingham made more DUI arrests during the 2020-21 holiday season than they made the year before, Trooper Rocky Oliphant told The Bellingham Herald.
According to Oliphant’s research, Bellingham-based troopers made 24 DUI arrests between Dec. 20, 2020, and Jan. 2, 2021, Oliphant reported. That was an increase from the 22 made over the same period the year before.
Oliphant said that troopers stationed elsewhere could have made additional arrests in Whatcom County and, conversely, the Bellingham-based troopers may have made some of their arrests further south.
The Bellingham Herald looked at the total number of people booked into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of DUI comparing the range from the Friday before Christmas to the Monday morning after New Year’s Day and found a 23.8% drop in arrests from the 2019-20 holiday season.
This year, between Dec. 18 and Jan. 4, a total of 32 people were booked into jail on suspicion of DUI (some arrests included other charges), according to jail records. The State Patrol had the highest number of bookings with 15, followed by Bellingham Police and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office with four each. Everson Police and Lummi Police each had two DUI bookings, while departments from Sumas, Blaine, Lynden, Western Washington University and Ferndale each had one.
A year ago, between Dec. 20 and Jan. 6, a total of 42 people were booked into jail on suspicion of DUI, according to jail records. State Patrol again led the way with 20 bookings, followed by Bellingham Police with 13 and the sheriff’s office with four. Lynden had three, while Blaine and Lummi each had one.
One of the State Patrol’s suspected DUI arrests this year came shortly after midnight Friday, Jan. 1, after troopers received a call about an erratic driver on Everson-Goshen Road, crossing the center line and nearly crashing into ditches on both sides of the road, Oliphant told The Herald.
Troopers located the vehicle driven by Paul G. Dickinson heading westbound on the Mount Baker Highway, Oliphant reported, and attempted to pull it over.
Dickinson accelerated, Oliphant said, before turning right on Racine Road. He reportedly slowed there and then attempted to turn back, and it was then that Oliphant said he “clipped” the State Patrol vehicle, causing minimal damage to the push bar on the front.
Dickinson continued to Barkley Boulevard at speeds in excess of 50 mph, stopped, got out of his car and ran, Oliphant reported.
A Bellingham Police K9 officer provided cover for the trooper and K9 Destro aided in Dickinson’s arrest, Lt. Claudia Murphy said.
Dickinson, 19, was booked into jail on suspicion of DUI and attempting to elude a police vehicle, and jail records show he was released on $1,000 bail later that day.
