Whatcom parks ranger nearly run over as patrol vehicle is stolen
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A Skagit County man is scheduled for arraignment this week on several felony charges involving the theft of a State Parks ranger’s patrol vehicle, and trying to hit the ranger as he fled with a handcuffed accomplice.
Bellingham Police arrested Jacob Carl Jackson, 41, on several charges including second-degree assault and first-degree malicious mischief. Both class B felonies with maximum 10-year prison terms, according to Washington state law.
Jackson was booked at the Whatcom County Jail on Dec. 28, 2022, and was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail on Thursday, Jan. 5.
His arraignment in Whatcom County Superior Court was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 6, according to documents filed this week describing the Dec. 21, 2022, incident at Larrabee State Park along Chuckanut Drive south of Bellingham.
An accomplice identified in a probable cause statement has not been booked in Whatcom County since then, according to online records.
State Parks officials refused to discuss the case when The Bellingham Herald asked for details of the arrest last week, and The Herald filed a public records request.
More information became available Thursday when the probable cause statement from a Dec. 29 hearing was filed online.
Bellingham Police told The Herald that Jackson was arrested after he was found hiding in the shower of a Texas Street home when officers were called on an unrelated matter.
In the probable cause statement, a ranger identified only as A. Smith, saw two people at 3:20 p.m. Dec. 21 in a gold Honda CRV parked at a campsite in Larrabee State Park, which was closed with about a foot of new snow on the ground.
The park’s exit gate was open, and the two people were inside the car, according to Smith’s report.
As the ranger was checking the couple’s identification and car registration, the second person started the car and sped toward the park exit, lost control, forcing Smith to jump out of the way.
As Smith radioed for backup, the car crashed into a drainage ditch.
Both fled and Smith chased the driver, according to court documents.
Smith tackled the driver and cuffed them, but they jumped into Smith’s marked patrol vehicle, which was not identified in court documents.
Jackson aimed the vehicle at Smith driving “more than 30 mph,” stopped to let the other person climb in, then sped out of the park to Chuckanut Drive, heading north.
After an extensive search, involving State Parks, Washington State Patrol and other agencies, the ranger’s vehicle was found about 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21.
Nothing was taken from the vehicle, and no firearms were inside, Smith’s report said.
According to court documents, both Jackson and second person have a criminal history.
In the CRV, which later proved stolen, officers found tools and equipment used to steal cars, along with a car door opener, credit cards and illegal drugs including heroin and methamphetamine.
