Bellingham police arrest man in chase that damaged two patrol cars
A Ferndale man wanted for ramming two patrol cars as he led Bellingham Police on a “reckless” chase last month has been arrested after a standoff where he was hiding.
Marco M. Salinas, 37, was booked late Sunday, Nov. 13, on charges related to the Oct. 27 chase from Bellis Fair mall toward downtown, where officers suspended their pursuit as it neared the more populated area.
Salinas was being held in the Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of first-degree assault, second-degree assault with a domestic violence enhancement, along with several other charges that include third-degree theft and third-degree driving with a suspended license.
Bail is not allowed on the two assault charges, according to jail booking records.
Bellingham Police traced Salinas to a residence in the 2000 block of Texas Street on Sunday evening, Murphy told The Bellingham Herald in an email Monday, Nov. 14.
“Officers surrounded the residence and attempted to call him outside. At one point he tried to escape over a balcony railing but changed his mind when an officer spoke to him and fled back inside,” Murphy said.
Police crisis negotiators tried to get Salinas to surrender, but eventually, officers obtained a search warrant and went inside to arrest him, Murphy said.
Murphy said the domestic violence charge was filed because Salinas attacked a woman at the residence, shoving her into furniture and breaking her tooth, Murphy said.
According to previous Bellingham Herald reporting, Murphy said the chase began shortly after an officer recognized Salinas and his RV, a 20-foot 1986 Ford motor home, at a gas station on Meridian Street south of Kellogg Road and attempted to arrest him on outstanding warrants.
But he got into the driver’s seat and started the engine, backed the RV into a wall, and then drove forward — ramming two Bellingham Police SUVs head-on and driving away, Murphy said.
“During the approximately five-mile pursuit, Salinas intentionally drove directly toward two more police officers, ran multiple red lights and nearly struck an officer who was out of his car. The pursuit was terminated once Salinas drove toward the downtown core, where there was likely to be significant pedestrian traffic, greatly increasing the chance of danger to the public,” Murphy said.
This story was originally published November 15, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
