Whatcom man allegedly hits another with his car in holiday weekend road rage incident
A Whatcom County driver is suspected of hitting another man and his car during a road rage incident and then leaving the scene Saturday afternoon west of Bellingham.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office booked Anthony Fermin Romero, 47, into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of first-degree assault and injury hit-and-run.
Deputies were sent at approximately 4 p.m. Saturday, July 2, to the intersection of Slater and Lake Terrell roads for the report of a hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian, sheriff’s office spokesperson Deb Slater told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
Deputies spoke to the victim, who reported he was driving west on Slater Road behind another car that was driving below the speed limit and signaled its intention to turn right and head northbound on Elder Road, Slater reported. The victim said he passed the other vehicle on the left.
The driver of the other vehicle, later identified as Romero, reportedly decided not turn right on Elder, and instead tailgated the victim’s vehicle.
The victim reported he stopped his car near the Slater-Lake Terrell intersection, according to Slater, and Romero stuck his head out of his car and began yelling at the victim.
The victim reported exiting his car and, standing approximately two to three feet from the driver’s door, yelled back, according to Slater.
Romero then backed his car up and drove forward, sideswiping the victim’s car and hitting the victim, Slater reported. The victim was knocked to the ground and sustained minor injuries, including scrapes on his elbows and knee from falling on the asphalt and possibly an injured foot from being run over, but he was not taken to the hospital.
Romero left the scene northbound on Lake Terrell Road, according to Slater.
A witness showed deputies video footage of Romero’s car hitting the victim and his car, Slater reported, and deputies were able to find Romero’s address from the vehicle registration.
Romero admitted he was the driver of the car, and though he said he knew he hit the victim’s car, he claimed he did not know he had hit the victim, according to Slater.
