A 19-year-old man was arrested Wednesday evening, Aug. 7 on probable cause for vehicular assault and two counts of reckless endangerment after a crash on Chuckanut Drive that sent him and three other people to the hospital.
Around 5:30 p.m., a gray Audi driven by Colin Gomez was allegedly speeding northbound on Chuckanut Drive, according to Megan Peters, the public information officer for the Bellingham Police Department. Witnesses at the crash described the Audi was racing another vehicle traveling northbound when the Audi moved into the southbound lane and struck a silver Rivian traveling south.
Both vehicles were in the southbound lane when law enforcement officers arrived, Peters said. A description of the other vehicle that was allegedly racing the Audi was not given.
Three passengers were inside the Rivian, two elementary-school-aged children and their mother, in her late 30s, Peters said. The children were outside of the car when officers arrived and they told officers their mother was still inside the car.
Officers found the woman inside the car and instructed her to stay inside until medics arrived, according to Peters. Gomez was the only passenger in the Audi and was also injured in the crash.
All four were transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
Gomez was arrested on probable cause for vehicular assault for driving 60 mph in a posted 15 mph zone around a blind corner while racing another vehicle, crossing a double yellow line and striking another vehicle causing substantial injuries to the driver, Peters said. He was also arrested on probable cause for two counts of reckless endangerment for putting the two children at risk for substantial injury.
Chuckanut Drive was closed for more than two hours as officers conducted their investigation. It reopened around 7:50 p.m.
Annie Todd is CDN’s criminal justice/enterprise reporter; reach her at annietodd@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 130.
