Updated: Lummi Nation Police vehicle rammed, suspect in custody after fleeing 8 miles into Ferndale

FERNDALE, Wash. — A large gathering of law enforcement personnel converged on a residential area in the vicinity of Thornton Street and Malloy Avenue in Ferndale following a pursuit of a pickup truck involved in a hit and run incident with a Lummi Nation Police patrol vehicle.

According to first responder radio transmissions at the time, about 7:45am on Thursday, February 20, 2025, Lummi Nation Police personnel were in the area of a vacant house in the Sandy Point Heights neighborhood when they noticed a dark pickup truck leaving the area. The pickup rammed the police vehicle and proceeded north on Lake Terrell Road toward Slater Road.

Police followed the pickup as it meandered through west county roads, sometimes slowly and at least once at speeds around 100mph. Other law enforcement agencies joined the effort.

About 8am, it was reported a spike strip was successfully deployed by Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office personnel and the pickup’s tires began breaking apart.

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The pursuit entered Ferndale city limits at Douglas Road and continued onto Washington Street and past the high school on Malloy Avenue. The suspect driver fled his vehicle on foot in the vicinity of Thornton Street and Malloy Avenue.

The suspect was seen on foot fleeing through residential yards and citizens provided reports of sighting to pursuing law enforcement personnel.

Witnesses report the pickup ended up in a resident’s backyard when the suspect fled on foot.

About 8:15am, it was reported the suspect had been detained.

Lummi Nation Police booked Calvin Ralph James, Jr., age 39, into Whatcom County Jail about 9:30am. He was charged with suspicion of the following crimes to be tried in Lummi Tribal Court.