Man suspected of crashing stolen car, reportedly attacks Whatcom corrections deputy
A man suspected of crashing a car that had been reported stolen in Bellingham allegedly tried to open the doors of two passing cars, damaging one of them, as he attempted to flee from the crash scene.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office booked Vincent Russell, 35, into Whatcom County Jail April 14 on suspicion of multiple charges including possession of a stolen vehicle, attempting to elude police, assault, malicious mischief and resisting arrest. Jail records show he is being held in lieu of $75,000 bail.
Three days after his arrest, Russell reportedly assaulted another inmate at the jail and a corrections deputy.
Deputies were called to the report of a single-car crash at 4:38 p.m. April 14 in the 6600 block of Malloy Road, according to Whatcom County Superior Court documents, and they were informed on the way that the driver had left the scene.
Once at the scene, deputies found a 1992 Honda Civic that had left the roadway, went down an embankment into a yard and struck a tree, documents state. The deputies spoke to the homeowner, who heard the crash and went outside immediately to see what happened.
The homeowner reported finding a man in his 30s and wearing a black hoodie and dark jeans standing beside the driver’s door of the Honda, according to documents, and nobody else was in the area.
The man, who was later identified as Russell, reportedly asked the homeowner not to call police but complained of hurting his arm in the crash.
North Whatcom Fire and Rescue responded to the scene and treated Russell, and the homeowner reported hearing Russell identify himself to medical personnel.
Deputies found that Russell’s driving status had been suspended and that he had multiple warrants for his arrest, documents state.
As he walked away, Russel grabbed the passenger-side door handle of a passing vehicle and yanked in an apparent attempt to open the door, according to documents, but the driver was able to leave the area.
Russell then approached the next vehicle on the road, documents state. The driver, fearing he was going to be carjacked, attempted to drive around Russell, but Russell reportedly charged at the vehicle and struck the passenger side, damaging the door and side-view mirror.
The driver managed to get away and called police when he was safe, documents state, and deputies located Russell in the 6600 block of Portal Way. Though deputies told Russell to stop, he reportedly continued to walk away and headed into the woods until deputies lost sight of him.
Ferndale police officers and deputies soon located Russell and arrested him, despite his efforts to resist, documents state.
Assaults at the jail
At approximately 2:41 April 17, three days after he was arrested, deputies responded to the report of an assault at the jail.
According to court documents, deputies learned that:
▪ Another inmate had been transferred into cell 128 at the jail.
▪ Shortly afterward, the correction deputy heard yelling coming from the cell.
▪ The corrections deputy returned to the cell and saw Russell hit the other inmate with a closed fist twice, leaving the other inmate laying on a temporary bed on the floor with a cut on his left ear.
▪ The corrections deputy opened the cell door, and Russell attempted to throw a punch at the corrections deputy.
▪ The corrections deputy, fearing he would be punched by Russell, struck Russell in the nose to protect himself, got control of Russell and put him in handcuffs.
Court records show Russell already was awaiting trial on a charge of violating a court protection order in 2020 and has previous convictions for attempting to elude police, hit-and-run, harassment, burglary, assault, theft, forgery and resisting arrest.
