FERNDALE, Wash. — A Ferndale woman is in custody after failing to stop her vehicle for a traffic stop and then leading Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) deputies on a meandering slow-speed pursuit that ended with her backing into a deputy’s patrol vehicle.
WCSO Spokesperson Deb Slater told Whatcom News via email that a deputy attempted to make a traffic stop about 10:30pm on Thursday, September 1st, northbound in the 4900 block of Waschke Road. Instead of stopping, the vehicle continued and turned westbound on W Larson Road. The deputy continued to follow the suspect vehicle.
The suspect vehicle was seen failing to stop at the intersection of Aldrich and Axton Roads and the deputy terminated the attempt at a traffic stop and began following the vehicle from a distance. The vehicle was seen continuing to run through stop signs.
Ultimately the suspect vehicle turned into a private driveway in the 600 block of W Hemmi Road and crashed into an unoccupied parked vehicle. Deputies followed into the driveway.
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Click for more informationThe suspect vehicle attempted to continue fleeing by backing up which resulted in ramming a deputy’s patrol vehicle.
The driver, identified as Shelby Nicole Walton, age 28 and of Ferndale, was taken into custody and booked into Whatcom County Jail charged with suspicion of the following.
- 2nd degree assault
- attempting to elude a police vehicle
- 2nd degree malicious mischief
- hit-and-run of an unattended vehicle
Walton was also arrested under an active bench warrant out of Whatcom County Superior Court. The warrant was issued when she failed to appear at a hearing on August 5th while out of custody on $10,000 bond. In that court case she faces 2 drug possession charges and a felony bail-jumping charge. Bail has been increased to $20,000 in that case.
Walton is expected to make a preliminary court appearance on the new charges September 2nd where bail will be set for the new court case.
