Bellingham man accused of threatening child at bus stop charged with hate crime
A Bellingham man has been charged with a hate crime after allegedly threatening a child at a bus stop on March 25.
Court records show that a Whatcom Middle School student was waiting for the bus that morning and sat between two men in the shelter. One of them, later identified as 24-year-old Nolan Joseph Villalvazo-Oaks, was peeling an orange with a knife.
Villalvazo-Oaks noticed the student looking at him and called him the n-word, according to court documents. He started throwing orange peels at the student, but they hit a glass divider between them.
The student stood and walked away, but Villalvazo-Oaks followed him with the knife in his hand. He threatened to stab the student and continued to call him a racial slur. The student picked up a rock to defend himself if needed, according to court documents.
When the bus arrived, the driver was reluctant to let them on, court records state. Villalvazo-Oaks boarded, but was then told to get off. The student told the driver that he needed to get to school and was allowed to board.
The student told the principal of Whatcom Middle School about the incident when he arrived. She contacted police, who were able to review a video from the bus that showed the suspect two days later.
Officers identified the suspect as Villalvazo-Oaks and took him into custody on April 3. He was charged with a hate crime, second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, and harassment-threatening to kill or cause bodily harm.
Villalvazo-Oaks pleaded not guilty to all charges. He remains in custody in lieu of a $50,000 bond.
This story was originally published April 9, 2026 at 11:57 AM.