Bellingham man reportedly stalks woman for 4 months with messages, threats and an assault
A Bellingham man suspected of stalking a woman for the past four months, threatening her and her children, breaking into her house, assaulting her and stealing her car was arrested early Wednesday.
Bellingham Police booked Nicholas Van Turner, 41, into Whatcom County Jail Feb. 10 on suspicion of stalking, harassment, fourth-degree assault and first- and second-degree burglary. Jail records show is being held in lieu of $7,000 bail.
Police were called at 2:50 a.m. Wednesday to the 300 block of Meadowbrook Court, after the victim called to report Turner had been stalking her and was on her back porch at that time, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
Officers arrived and were able arrest Turner on several outstanding warrants, Murphy reported, giving them time to further investigate.
According to Murphy, that investigation revealed:
▪ Since October 2020, Turner reportedly sent “an exorbitant number” of text messages to the victim from four different phone numbers, left “numerous” voicemail messages and repeatedly messaged the victim on Facebook Messenger. The messages reportedly contained various statements of love and were followed by abusive messages to harass the victim. Though he was told to stop contacting the victim and stay away from her residence, the behavior reportedly continued.
▪ At approximately 2 a.m. Oct. 29, the victim, her two children and another adult were asleep in the victim’s home, when the other adult woke up and reportedly saw Turner at the back sliding glass door working to break in. Turner allegedly succeeded, walked past the other adult and straight to the victim’s bedroom. The victim reportedly awoke to find Turner at the foot of her bed, and he started punching her repeatedly in the head and arms and calling her names before he left. The victim showed police evidence of the attack.
▪ At approximately 3:16 a.m. Oct. 31, Turner reportedly again came to the back sliding glass door and began throwing rocks at the door. Officers arrived, but Turner ran away. Turner later reportedly returned and started screaming for the victim to come outside. When she refused, he used a rock and tried to break the glass, succeeded in damaging the door and yelled threats at the victim.
▪ On Nov. 21, Turner allegedly threatened to damage the victim’s car because he was upset she wouldn’t communicate with him. A police report was filed, but Turner left before officers arrived.
▪ On Dec. 15, Turner reportedly followed the victim to another location, hid in the bushes and then started kicking the door to enter the residence. The door suffered $500 in damages, and a police report was filed, but Turner left before officers arrived.
▪ On Dec. 18, Turner allegedly kicked the door to the victim’s home and demanded he be let in. A police report was filed, but Turner left before officers arrived.
▪ On Jan. 3, the victim reported that her car was stolen. Turner is a suspect in the theft, Murphy reported.
▪ On Jan. 4, the victim reported seeing Turner sitting in a playground outside her home and heard him yelling about the stolen car.
Turner was arrested less than a month ago by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office on suspicion he traded two Subarus, one of which was stolen, for a Mercedes.
Whatcom County Superior Court records show Turner also has multiple previous convictions for criminal impersonation, possession of a controlled substance, taking a motor vehicle without permission, possession of a stolen vehicle, attempting to elude police, unlawful firearm possession, forgery, possession of stolen property, burglary, harassment, theft and arson.
