Whatcom man allegedly on ‘joy ride’ after release from jail crashes into another car
A Whatcom County man reportedly out for a “joy ride” after being released from jail, crashed into another car, sending an 84-year-old woman to the hospital.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office booked Jordan Garth Pickett, 24, into Whatcom County Jail Sunday, Oct. 2, on suspicion of hit and run with an injury, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license and operating a vehicle without a ignition interlock device, and jail records show Pickett is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Deputies were called at approximately 6:36 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, to the intersection of Birch Bay Drive and Shintaffer Road for the report of a two-car collision, according to Whatcom County Superior Court documents.
While on the way, dispatch advised deputies that one of the cars — the one traveling westbound on Birch Bay Drive — had been traveling in excess of 90 mph and the driver of that car, identified as Pickett, had run away from the scene, documents state.
Deputies spoke to a passenger in Pickett’s car, who reported that Pickett was out for a “joy ride” after being released from jail and that Pickett had been driving between 70 and 80 mph in the 25 mph zone along Birch Bay Road and weaving in an out of traffic, according to documents.
The passenger also reported that as Pickett’s car approached Shintaffer Road, another vehicle turned onto Birch Bay Road, and Pickett was unable to brake to avoid it, records state. The passenger also reported that Pickett had been drinking earlier in the day, yelled “run” before exiting the crashed vehicle and ran north along Shintaffer Road.
The driver of the other vehicle, an 84-year-old woman, was taken to St. Joseph’s hospital in Bellingham to be checked for injuries after the airbags deployed in her vehicle and she hit her head, according to documents.
Deputies were not initially able to locate Pickett, but he was booked into jail less than 24 hours after the crash.
Whatcom County Superior Court documents show Pickett was sentenced to 364 days in jail on Sept. 16, 2021, after he was convicted of third-degree assault, unlawful imprisonment and two counts of protection order violation in a domestic violence incident. He was still facing 25 months of community custody.
Court records also show Pickett has previous convictions for harassment, eluding police, criminal trespass, taking a motor vehicle without permission and malicious mischief.
