Verbal road rage in Ferndale escalates to physical, caught on video

FERNDALE, Wash. — First responders were dispatched to the area of Lake Terrell Road and Slater Road on Saturday, July 2nd, about 4pm due to a report of a car versus pedestrian hit and run incident.

According to Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson Deb Slater, deputies arrived and met with the victim who had been knocked to the ground and sustained minor injuries.

The victim told deputies he had been driving westbound on Slater Road and a car in front of him was driving under the posted speed limit while signaling a right turn to heard north on Elder Road. The victim passed the turning vehicle on the left. Instead of making the turn, the other vehicle continued straight, turned off their turn signal and began tailgating the victim.

The victim stopped at the intersection of Slater Road and Lake Terrell Road. The other driver was sticking his head out his window and yelling at the victim. The victim exited his vehicle, stood about 2-3 feet from his driver’s door and yelled back at the other driver.

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In response, the other driver reportedly backed up and then drove forward, sideswiping the victim’s car and hitting the victim, knocking him to the ground. The victim’s injuries included scrapes on his elbows and knee and possibly an injured foot from being run over. The victim was not transported to the hospital.

The suspect fled and was seen heading north on Lake Terrell Road.

Witnesses provided deputies with a video recording of the suspect’s vehicle hitting the victim and his car. The suspect vehicle was tracked down to its registered owner’s address in the 3300 block of Thornton Road. There, deputies contacted Anthony Romero, age 57, who admitted being the driver of the involved suspect vehicle. He claimed he did not know he hit the victim, but he did know he hit the car.

Romero was arrested and booked into the Whatcom County Jail charged with suspicion of 1st degree assault and hit and run with injury. He is scheduled to make a preliminary appearance in Whatcom County Superior Court today, June 5th.