Witnesses sought in Bellingham hit-run crash that killed Ferndale man
Authorities are looking for anyone who saw or recorded a recent hit-and-run crash on Interstate 5 that killed a Ferndale man riding a motorcycle.
Joel D. Hansen, 45, was killed about 9 p.m. Oct. 6 when he was hit by a driver who knocked him off his motorcycle and into the path of a semi-truck along northbound I-5 just south of the Lakeway Drive exit, according to a Washington State Patrol report.
“Washington State Patrol detectives also request any in-car dash-camera footage from anyone who went through the area around the time of the collision. Your assistance is appreciated as we work to locate the (fleeing) vehicle,” Trooper Kelsey Harding said in an emailed statement.
According to the State Patrol’s crash report, Hansen was riding a black and orange 2021 Harley-Davidson FXBBS in the right lane of northbound I-5 approaching the Lakeway exit ramp when he was clipped by the hit-and-run driver and knocked off the bike and into the left lane.
Another driver stopped on the left shoulder to check Hansen’s condition and both Hansen and that car were hit by the truck, which was changing lanes from left to right to avoid a car on the right shoulder with its hazard lights flashing.
That car was not involved in the incident, Harding said.
“The unknown vehicle continued in an unknown direction. At this time there have been no witnesses to this collision that have provided any description of the (fleeing) vehicle,” he said.
