Anacortes Skagit County DUI Attorney: Anacortes Skagit County Police Blotter-March 9, 2011

Anacortes Skagit County DUI Attorney: Anacortes Skagit County Police Blotter-March 9, 2011

An 18-year-old Anacortes man faces a charge of being in physical control of a vehicle while being impaired after a concerned resident near the 500 block of L Avenue called police to report seeing two teenagers acting strangely and throwing up around a vehicle parked in the area Monday, Feb. 28.

Officers found a blue SUV with an 18-year-old man slumped over the wheel and the car motor running. He appeared to be sick and under the influence of drugs. Officers called in a drug recognition expert from the Washington State Patrol to assist with the investigation and took the young man to Island Hospital for a blood test. He reportedly told officers they smoked "spice," a synthetic marijuana they purchased from a convenience store in the 1700 block of 12th Street.

According to the Washington State Board of Health, spice is a type of synthetic marijuana. Spice and similar products are sold in smoke shops and head shops. They contain potent synthetic cannabinoids and can cause harm when used, generally by smoking. These are intoxicants that can affect behavior, judgment and health. Poison Control had more than 600 calls on bad reactions to spice and similar products in 2010.

In January, the Board of Health passed an emergency measure banning the sale of spice and similar products and reclassified them as controlled substances. Officers delivered this information to the convenience store involved, as well as others in town, with warnings to remove it from their shelves or face prosecution.

Among the other 174 cases handled by Anacortes police during the previous week:

Saturday, Feb. 26

• A 25-year-old Anacortes woman faces a charge of domestic violence assault after her husband reported she hit him. Police were called to the couple's home where they found the 26-year-old man with obvious injury to the side of his face. He told officers his wife refused to allow him in the house after he was out gambling. He said he entered and she struck him hard and kept on hitting him until he called police. She fled the residence before officers arrived. 

• A 26-year-old Anacortes man was cited for disorderly conduct following an incident at a private club in the 1000 block of Seventh Street around 1:41 a.m. Witnesses told officers the man was asked to leave the bar three times due to his level of intoxication but kept returning. After he was escorted out a fourth time he fell on the icy sidewalk and hit his head. An aid unit and police were called and the man was uncooperative with their efforts to assist him. He was transported to the hospital where officers reported he continued to be uncooperative with the ER staff. He was treated for his injuries, cited and released.

Sunday, Feb. 27

• A 51-year-old Seattle woman was arrested on a charge of DUI after an officer on routine patrol noticed her tailgating other cars until they pulled off, then speeding and weaving between the fog and center lines on Commercial Avenue around 12:55 a.m. The vehicle pulled into a parking lot in the 900 block of 11th Street. The driver denied drinking any alcohol but failed physical sobriety tests. She was arrested and taken to the police station for a breath test, which she refused.

• Police were called to a domestic violence incident on E Avenue where they contacted a 30-year-old Anacortes man who said his estranged wife took his truck and assaulted him when he tried to stop her. Officers saw the man had a bloody nose. The woman came into the police department the next day and gave a different account of the incident. She claimed her estranged husband assaulted her when she tried to leave in the truck. Officers are following up with additional witnesses to determine appropriate charges. 

Tuesday, March 1

• Anacortes parks officials reported a restroom on the Tommy Thompson trail sustained about $100 of damage on Friday after vandals lit the restroom paper products on fire. Officers ask anyone who sees suspicious activity in city parks, trails or Forest Lands to report it in a timely manner. 

• A 36-year-old man faces charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia following an incident in a motel in the 3000 block of Commercial Avenue around 10:53 p.m. Officers were called to the hotel for a report of an intoxicated patron in the lobby causing problems. The man was yelling profanities. Officers offered him the choice of returning to his room for the night or being arrested for disorderly conduct. He chose to retire for the night. 

A short time later an officer on patrol noticed a group of people outside the man's motel room door. When the officer stopped to investigate, they said they worked with the man and were concerned he was not answering his door. They could see him on the floor inside the room. The motel clerk let them in the room. The officer saw a glass marijuana pipe and some marijuana in the room. The man was roused, refused medical attention and was cited.

 

For information on your Washington State DUI arrest please contact our Snohomish County DUI attorneys, Whatcom County DUI attorneys, King County DUI attorneys, Island County DUI attorneys, Skagit County DUI attorneys, Mt Vernon DUI attorneys, Everett DUI attorneys, Lynnwood DUI attorneys, Mukilteo DUI attorneys, or Anacortes DUI attorneys at 425-493-1115 or check out our website at http://www.washdui.com, www.everett-dui.com, or www.mukilteodui.com