FERNDALE, Wash. — Another person has been charged with suspicion of a crime following an incident during rallies in downtown Ferndale on July 31st that drew hundreds to downtown Ferndale.
Ferndale City Staff announced today, August 11th, a person who crossed Main Street from a Support Ferndale Police rally into a Black Lives Matter supporters rally is suspected of pushing 2 people and has been charged with assault on 1 of them.
1 of the 2 people reportedly pushed contacted Ferndale Police to let them know they would wanted to pursue charges. Ferndale Police investigated the incident, much of which was captured on video, and identified the person who pushed the other 2 as 63-year-old Robert Turner of Bellingham. Turner was given a citation for suspicion of 4th degree assault, a gross misdemeanor, according to today’s announcement. Turner will be required to appear in Ferndale Municipal Court.
Gross misdemeanors are punishable in Washington State by up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine.
Turner is the second person to be charged with a crime after at least 2 members of a Support Ferndale Police rally walked into a Black Lives Matter supporters rally and a brief scuffle broke out.
The other person charged, Chad Schmitt, was charged with 3rd degree malicious mischief, also a gross misdemeanor, after being recorded on video subsequent to the scuffle as he grabbed or swatted at the video camera that then fell to the sidewalk sustaining an estimated $90 in damage.