Whatcom man reportedly stabs another after suspecting the victim stole his car
A man was hospitalized Saturday morning with stab wound injuries to his chest and arm after he was reportedly attacked in a Samish neighborhood home by a Custer man who believed the victim had stolen his car.
Bellingham Police booked Darren Andrew Nixon, 33, into Whatcom County Jail Feb. 20 on suspicion of first degree assault, and jail records show he is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail.
Officers were called at 9:20 a.m. Saturday to the 900 block of 34th Street for the report of a person being stabbed, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald in an email Wednesday, Feb. 24. They arrived and found the victim inside the home, bleeding severely, and performed lifesaving first-aid measures until he could be taken to St. Joseph hospital for medical care.
Investigating officers found that two other people had been in the house in addition to the victim and Nixon, who goes by the street name “Dee,” Murphy reported. Officers learned the Nixon reportedly had committed the stabbing.
While officers were still in the area, they found Nixon and another man walking back toward the house a couple of blocks away, according to Murphy.
Nixon allowed a search for weapons in his backpack, Murphy reported, and he volunteered to police, without being prompted, that there was a knife with no blood that officers could take as evidence. The officers, at that point, reportedly had not said anything to Nixon about a stabbing.
As they were placing Nixon in handcuffs, Murphy reported they noticed fresh blood on his hands.
A witness also reported to police that Nixon was seen attacking the victim with two knives.
Officers determined Nixon had accused the victim of stealing his car, and Murphy reported that initiated the stabbing.
Whatcom County Superior Court records show that Nixon is scheduled to stand trial beginning in June on charges including second-degree assault, harassment, malicious mischief, first-degree burglary and third-degree theft stemming from a Jan. 3 incident and unlawful possession of a firearm and second-degree assault charges stemming from a Dec. 4 incident. Nixon also has previous convictions for stolen property trafficking, possession of a controlled substance, bail jumping, theft of a motor vehicle, attempting to elude a police vehicle and malicious mischief.
