Longtime Lynden political leader arrested, accused of domestic violence
The executive director of the Lynden Chamber of Commerce, who is also a city council member, has been arrested and charged with a felony after allegedly strangling a family member.
Gary Alan Vis, 55, was charged Monday, Jan. 22 in Whatcom County Superior Court with one count of second-degree assault (domestic violence).
The charge, which is a felony, accuses Vis of assaulting a family member by strangulation and includes a domestic violence enhancement, according to court records.
Vis was arrested at his home in the 8800 block of Bender Road in Lynden shortly after midnight on Sunday, Jan. 21. He was released the following day shortly before 7:30 p.m. on his personal recognizance, according to Whatcom County Jail records.
Vis’ arrest was first reported by the Lynden Tribune.
“Mr. Vis asserts his innocence and looks forward to vindicating himself in court. We do not agree with the facts as they are set out in the probable cause statement,” Vis’ criminal defense attorney Michael Brodsky told The Bellingham Herald. “An affidavit of probable cause is just a very brief summary of a set of very complicated facts. We look forward to shedding more light on the events through a more thorough investigation.”
Political roles
For more than 17 years, Vis has been the head of the Lynden Chamber of Commerce, which issued a statement Wednesday morning.
”The board was made aware of an incident involving Gary Vis, the Lynden Chamber of Commerce’s executive director,” a post of the chamber’s Facebook page states. “The Vis family are in our thoughts and prayers at this time. We are in the process of gathering more information and will have no further comment at this point,” the chamber said on Facebook.
Vis has been a prominent member of the community for more than 30 years, championing civic events such as the annual Christmas parade and the Northwest Washington Fair. He was also a leader in the effort to build the Million Smiles Playground at City Park in 2006, according to his LinkedIn resume.
Vis ran unopposed for the Lynden City Council in November, winning nearly 100% of the vote. He also served on the council from 1998 to 2006. His term expires Dec. 31, 2027, and he is the chair of the Parks Committee and a member of the Public Safety and Public Works committees, according to the city of Lynden’s website.
Lynden Mayor Scott Korthuis told The Herald on Thursday that the city would issue a statement after officials had a chance to review court documents and investigative reports from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, which is handling the investigation.
The Lynden City Council has not met and does not have a formal joint statement regarding Vis’ arrest at this time, council member Brent Lenssen said Thursday morning.
Lenssen said he is supporting the Vis family “as they navigate the ramifications of this unfortunate private family matter.”
“I will continue to pray for restoration and healing for them as a family unit and I am here to offer any assistance to them as needed,” Lenssen said via email.
Fellow council member Lee Beld, who has known Vis since childhood, told The Herald that Vis is “a good man.”
Beld said he’s a strong supporter of Vis’ family, whom he’s holding in his prayers “through this most difficult of times.”
“I’m also a strong believer in the system when the whole truth is brought to light. I can only ask that everyone hold judgment until all the information is known and addressed by the legal process,” Beld said.
Beld said he is excited about Vis’ role on the city council. He said he hopes Vis continues in that role, adding that Vis “has undeniably been excellent” in his job as chamber of commerce director.
Council member and mayor pro tem Gary Bode declined to comment about the matter when contacted by The Herald.
“This is a personal family matter that needs to be sorted out by family and legal,” Bode said.
Council member Nick Laninga also declined to comment, saying that he does not have “full information, details or findings at this time.”
When asked whether the council has received any complains or concerns, or had any themselves, over the past several years regarding Vis and potential domestic violence issues, Laninga told The Herald that he has known Vis his entire life “and have never had any indication or knowledge if he had any issues.”
Council members Kyle Strengholt and Mark Wohlrab had not responded to requests from The Herald seeking comment as of Thursday afternoon.
“This case involves Mr. Vis’ family and is unconnected with his professional, political or governmental responsibilities,” Brodsky, Vis’ defense attorney, said.
When asked whether Vis expects the allegations to affect his roles with the chamber of commerce or city council, Brodsky directed The Herald to his previous statement regarding the criminal charges being unconnected to Vis’ professional responsibilities.
The incident
Around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20, the Lynden Police Department was called to a domestic disturbance in the 8800 block of Bender Road in Lynden.
A woman had called 911 to report that she had been strangled by a family member, later identified as Vis, according to court records.
When Lynden police arrived and learned Vis was the suspect, they contacted the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, in order to be careful and avoid any conflicts of interest, Lynden Police Chief Steve Taylor told The Herald on Wednesday.
Korthuis told The Herald that is standard procedure to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest.
“Immediately, they called the Sheriff’s Office. We’re always careful in bringing in an outside agency on cases like this,” he said.
Lynden police then worked to keep the peace until sheriff’s deputies arrived, Taylor said.
When deputies arrived, the woman told them that she and Vis had a verbal argument. The woman said she had picked up a portable charger and began squeezing it, which angered Vis.
The woman told deputies Vis put her in a chokehold and restricted her breathing for roughly one minute. The woman told deputies she was screaming for Vis to let go and that Vis’ arm “had to be pried from her throat” by another a family member, court documents state.
The family member who removed Vis’ arm from the woman’s throat corroborated the woman’s account of the incident.
Vis allegedly admitted to deputies that he had put his arm around the woman’s throat “for what he believed to be around two minutes,” according to court records.
Lynden police have not received any tips, complaints or concerns regarding domestic violence issues involving Gary Vis within the past three years, Taylor, the police chief, said.
There has only been one call for service at Vis’ Lynden home, which was the initial call on Jan. 20 that led to Vis’ subsequent arrest on Jan. 21, Taylor said.
“The events of January 21st stemmed from a difficult family situation and the Vis Family requests that the press and public respect their privacy as the case continues to be investigated,” Brodsky, Vis’ defense attorney said.
Resources
▪ Brigid Collins Family Support Center: 360-734-4616, brigidcollins.org
Brigid Collins Family Support Center professionals are on-call between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, to answer questions about children, families, abuse prevention or treatment at (360) 734-4616.
▪ Child Protective Services: Washington state hotline for reporting child abuse and neglect, 866-829-2153.
▪ Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services: 24-hour Help Line: 360-715-1563, Email: info@dvsas.org.
▪ Lummi Victims of Crime: 360-312-2015.
▪ Tl’ils Ta’á’altha Victims of Crime: 360-325-3310 or nooksacktribe.org/departments/youth-family-services/tlils-taaaltha-victims-of-crime-program/
▪ Bellingham Police: You can call anonymously at 360-778-8611, or go online at cob.org/tips.
▪ WWU Consultation and Sexual Assault Support Survivor Advocacy Services: 360-650-3700 or wp.wwu.edu/sexualviolence/.
If you or a child is in immediate danger, call 911 and make a report to law enforcement.
To report child abuse or neglect call 1-866-END HARM.
This story was originally published January 24, 2024 at 2:15 PM.
