Shirtless, shoeless man reportedly swings 3-foot metal rod at passing cars on Lakeway
A Whatcom County shirtless, shoeless man running through oncoming traffic on Lakeway Drive in the Whatcom Falls neighborhood early Monday reportedly swung a 3-foot metal rod at passing cars then attempted to avoid capture when officers arrived.
Bellingham Police booked Christian Lee Dillard, 21, into Whatcom County Jail April 26 on suspicion of second- and third-degree assault, resisting arrest and obstruction.
Officers were called at 4:01 a.m. Monday to the 3000 block of Lakeway Drive after multiple 911 calls of a man without shoes or a shirt running in the middle of the street and refusing to get out of the way of oncoming vehicles, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald in an email Monday evening.
The man, later identified as Dillard, picked up a 3-foot metal rod, Murphy reported.
A passing motorist told police that Dillard had swung the rod through the window of his car and that he thought Dillard was attempting to stab him with the rod, but he avoided being hit, according to Murphy.
Just after speaking to that driver, the officer saw Dillard running down Lakeway still holding the rod, Murphy reported, and he approached another car and swung it over his head at least three times into the windshield of the car, causing glass shards to fly. The driver reportedly had to put the car into reverse to avoid further damage and potentially being struck and injured by the metal rod.
Other arriving officers blocked off Lakeway to prevent other cars from entering the area.
The officer who spotted Dillard used his loudspeaker to tell Dillard he was going to be detained and ordered him to sit on the ground, Murphy reported, but Dillard refused to stop running.
Officers fired bean bags in Dillard’s direction, according to Murphy, but even the ones that struck him did not get him to stop.
Dillard ran onto the patio of home in the area, Murphy reported, and officers again told him he was under arrest, but he instead charged at an officer.
The officer used a taser to defend himself, and police were then able to take Dillard into custody, according to Murphy.
“The reason for Dillard’s behavior is unknown,” Murphy wrote, adding that police have not been able to contact the driver of the second car Dillard reportedly hit with the metal rod.
Whatcom County Superior Court records show Dillard has previous convictions for theft, assault, bail jumping, resisting arrest and harassment.
