1/5/23 Bellingham, WA – Man And Woman In Stolen Vehicle Stop In Campground That Was Closed – Woman Placed In Handcuffs – Man Steals Washington State Parks Officer’s Patrol Vehicle – State Patrol Finds Police Car 6 Miles Away – Escaped

 A Bellingham man was arrested on numerous charges after an incident involving a Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (WSPRC) officer resulted in crashing a stolen vehicle before taking the officer’s patrol vehicle.

According to an affidavit of probable cause prepared by WSPRC and filed in Whatcom County Superior Court by prosecutors, the officer noticed someone had opened a gate at the entrance to the Larrabee State Park campground while on patrol on December 21, 2022. The officer had closed the gates due to a foot of snow having accumulated on the ground which led to closing the campground.

Following fresh vehicle tracks, the officer located a Honda CRV parked at a camp site occupied by a man and a woman. He approached them and informed them that the park had been closed. They said they were there to eat dinner and use the showers.

While verifying identification that the 2 provided, the officer noted they had switched seats, putting the woman in the driver’s seat. A check of their IDs showed his driver’s license was suspended and she had a valid driver’s license. Both had prior convictions for possession of a stolen vehicle and she was known to carry weapons.

The officer asked for the vehicle’s registration and was told by the woman she had just bought it and did not have a registration yet. The officer ran the vehicle’s license plate through the Washington Department of Licensing database and determined it did not appear to have been recently sold. He then attempted to obtain the vehicle identification number (VIN) but it was “heavily defaced and altered.” The last 4 digits of the VIN were visible and did not match the vehicle associated with the license plate.

When the officer asked the woman to step out of the vehicle, she proceeded to start the Honda’s engine and “accelerated the vehicle rapidly out of the campsite.” The Honda slid off the roadway and ended up on its side in a ditch about 20 feet from the campsite.

The woman exited the Honda and began to run away. She was tackled by the officer and began punching and kicking. The officer was eventually able to place the woman in handcuffs.

While the officer was restraining the woman, the man exited the Honda, entered the officer’s patrol vehicle and began driving away. He then turned the vehicle around and drove toward the woman and the officer. The officer moved the woman to a safe location and then “had to dive “dove off the roadway into a ditch to avoid being struck.”

The man then stopped and opened the door. The officer instructed him to leave the vehicle or he would be forcibly removed. The man began to drive away at which time the officer attempted to pull him from the vehicle. The man accelerated, pushed the officer away and closed the door.

In the meantime, the woman, still in handcuffs, ran to the vehicle that had stopped with the passenger door open. The officer reached her just as she got to the vehicle and she kicked the officer as the man accelerated away to the park exit.

The officer was able to radio nearby Washington State Patrol troopers regarding the fleeing suspects in the WSPRC patrol vehicle (no firearms were in the vehicle). Multiple agencies began searching the area for the vehicle.

It was determined the Honda had been reported stolen in Mount Vernon.

About an hour and a half from the initial contact with the suspects, the patrol vehicle was located unoccupied in a south Bellingham neighborhood about 6 miles away. A search of the area including K9 tracks were unsuccessful in locating either suspect.

Arrest warrants for both suspects were issued on December 27, 2022.

The man, identified as Jacob Carl Jackson, age 41, was contacted by Bellingham Police officers on December 28, 2022, during a welfare check in the 1300 block of Texas Street and discovered to have the active arrest warrant. He was taken into custody and booked into Whatcom County Jail.

Jackson has been identified by the Anacortes Police Department as a suspect in 6 vehicle thefts in their jurisdiction.

A search of the Honda resulted in locating “an extensive amount of theft tools, approximately 60 shaved care keys, garage door openers, IDs, credit cards, heroin, meth, methadone, drug paraphernalia, erotic toys, stolen car titles, bags of clothing with tags on them and so on.” Additionally, “a duffle bag was recovered with a tourniquet, black mask, gloves, black jacket, black pants and knives.”

Jackson currently faces the following felony charges in Superior Court.

• 2nd-degree assault with a deadly weapon
• attempting to elude a police vehicle
• possession of a stolen vehicle
• 1st-degree malicious mischief

Jackson made a preliminary appearance in court on December 29, 2022. Prosecutors asked that bail be set at $250,000 and defense asked for $25,000 with a cash alternative. The court set bail at $100,000 with a $10,000 cash alternative.

As of January 5th, Jackson remained in custody pending being able to post an appearance bond.

Jackson is scheduled to be arraigned on January 6th.