Bodies in car recovered from Nooksack River in Ferndale identified

FERNDALE, Wash. — The 2 bodies found in the car recovered from the Nooksack River in Ferndale yesterday have been identified by Ferndale Police today, May 19th.

City of Ferndale Communications Officer Riley Sweeney told Whatcom News in an email that the driver was identified as Landry L Lawrence, age 30, and the passenger was identified as Darrian J James, age 23. Sweeney said both were Lummi Reservation residents.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation and that they have no witnesses to the crash, Sweeney said.  He added investigators have narrowed the possible time of the crash to between 7:20pm and 7:40pm on May 17th.

Ferndale Police Chief Kevin Turner told Whatcom News yesterday they received a report around 7:30pm on May 17th that a passerby noticed tire marks leading from Ferndale Road over the berm and into the river. The marks appeared to be made by a vehicle heading east on Cherry Street that failed to navigate the right turn onto Ferndale Road heading south.

Police officers responded and could see the river water swirling over a submerged large object. Other agencies were contacted and it was determined the swift current would delay sending in divers until daylight according to Turner.

US Customs and Border Protection’s Border Patrol’s BORSTAR underwater search-and-recovery dive team along with Whatcom County Search and Rescue were able to secure a line from a Heston Hauling 40-ton Kenworth hauler to the vehicle so that it could be pulled from the river.