Officer in the right place at the right time to help Whatcom woman escape from ex-boyfriend
A Blaine Police officer was on patrol at the right time in the right place to help a Bellingham woman escape from an ex-boyfriend she reported physically prevented her from leaving for two hours.
River J. Markuson was booked into Whatcom County Jail early Friday, Jan. 21, on suspicion of unlawful imprisonment.
The Blaine officer noticed two individuals walking eastbound along the north sidewalk of Runge Avenue, spokesperson Tami Bhachu told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
The officer stopped near the Bell Road intersection, Bhachu reported, and a woman ran up to the officer’s driver’s-side window, banged on the glass and told the officer she was trying to get away from her ex-boyfriend.
“The woman seemed panicked and out of breath,” Bhachu reported, adding that the officer noticed Markuson walking up a driveway to some nearby apartments.
According to Bhachu, the woman reported that:
▪ She had broken up with Markuson earlier in the day.
▪ She had agreed to see Markuson, and he came to Bellingham to pick her up and bring her back to his apartment in Blaine.
▪ When she was ready to leave, Markuson physically prevented it by grabbing her around her waist.
▪ Markuson only agreed to let her go outside if he accompanied her.
▪ She and Markuson had been on the walk when she saw the officer drive by and knew that was her chance to escape.
As she ran away from Markuson he started yelling after her, Bhachu reported.
