Multiple businesses and the food court doors at the Bellis Fair Mall were damaged in a Saturday night police chase during which a Bellingham man armed with an ax tried to evade arrest in a rampage through numerous city neighborhoods.
The chase began around 10:30 p.m. when Bellingham police assisted a Washington State Patrol trooper in pursuit of a Ford Ranger driven by suspect David Anderson, 32, of Bellingham, a police release said. The trooper had attempted to stop Anderson for driving erratically, suspecting he might be driving under the influence.
Bellingham officers turned on their lights and began pursuing Anderson around the 1300 block of West Bakerview Road before he made an illegal U-turn, then sped east, running red lights in Cordata and Meridian and stop signs around the City Hall/Library complex, police said.
When a Bellingham officer stopped in front of Anderson’s speeding vehicle on Cornwall Avenue near East Champion Street, Anderson drove close to the patrol SUV, slowed down, and swung a large ax out his window “clearly trying to hit the officer in the driver’s seat,” a police spokesperson said. He struck the patrol SUV with the ax several times, police said.
Anderson pulled another U-turn on Cornwall, drove directly towards other pursuing officers, then swung his ax out the window at them again, missing this time as well, police said.
He then fled on Cornwall to York Street, where he swerved around spike strips laid on the street by the police, nearly striking another patrol SUV. He continued to Lakeway from Ellis Street, striking an uninvolved motorist’s vehicle and causing extensive damage, police said.
He then headed north on Interstate 5, exiting at Bellis Fair, where he drove straight into the Mall’s food court doors, causing extensive damage, according to police.
Bellingham Police arrested a man on March 12 after he eluded police for 9 miles through town. He crashed into the front of the Bellis Fair Mall and then went inside the mall with an ax, causing about $100,000 worth of damage to stores and the building. (Courtesy of Bellingham Police Department)
Officers said he then exited his vehicle and fled into the mall, armed with his ax, and engaged in a “rampage of damage.” He smashed through the locked glass doors and windows to get inside, and began damaging several stores, restaurants and businesses in the same manner, they said.
Officers attempted to calm Anderson down verbally and used flexible batons, chemical irritants and tasers to subdue him. He eventually dropped the ax and was taken into custody.
Damage to the mall was estimated at $100,000.
Anderson was transported to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries sustained during the chase, and for monitoring for possible substance abuse.
Anderson, once medically cleared, was expected to be booked into the Whatcom County Jail on a broad range of charges: burglary 1st degree, assault 1st degree (three counts,) assault 3rd degree, malicious mischief 1st degree, malicious mischief 2nd degree, attempting to elude a police vehicle, hit and run, resisting arrest, and tampering with a fire alarm.
