A car was reported going south in the northbound lanes of I-5 north of Birch Bay-Lynden Road about 4:30am on Monday, January 22nd according to a story published by The Northern Light.
Click here to read The Northern Light’s detailed account of the incident.
A Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office deputy caught up with the vehicle and attempted to signal it to stop. Ferndale Police became involved near the Portal Way interchange when an officer in a marked police vehicle was able to get in front of the blue 1994 Honda Civic driven by Jonathan R. Baird, age 20, and bring it to a stop. But, according to The Northern Light, Baird then drove around the officer’s vehicle.
Spike strips were deployed near the Main Street interchange and punctured two tires but it took a PIT maneuver to finally stop Baird’s vehicle south of the Smith Road overpass.
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According to Whatcom County Jail records, Baird was booked into the jail and charged with attempting to eluding a police vehicle, resisting arrest and reckless driving. His last known residence is in Alaska The Northern Light reported.
Court documents indicate once Baird’s vehicle had been stopped, he remained uncooperative, remaining in the vehicle with the windows up. It wasn’t until the rear window was broken with a bean bag round and Baird was hit on his right arm by another bean bag round that he left the vehicle and began complying with orders from law enforcement.
Baird tested negative for alcohol according to court documents. No further tests of sobriety or for drugs were done at the time.
Baird was released from custody on $5,000 bond later the next day and is expected to appear in court. He provided a Blaine address and has been ordered not to drive as a condition of his release according to court documents.