Teens involved in multi-car collision, iron rail stolen

Island County Sheriff’s deputies on Camano Island responded to the following recently:

• A 38-year-old woman reported witnessing a multiple vehicle collision on April 6. The accident, which happened on SR 532 near Smith Road, involved four cars and their drivers, all teenagers. No passengers were involved. Car number one, a green 2001 Saturn SC1, driven by a 17-year-old girl, was struck from behind by a red 1991 Acura Integra, also driven by a 17-year-old girl. She reported being pushed into the Saturn after she was struck by a silver 2000 Pontiac Grand Am, driven by a 16-year-old boy. He in turn had been struck from behind by a red 1987 Nissan Sentra, driven by a 17-year-old boy who reported looking down for a moment and then finding the traffic in front of him halted. He was cited in connection with following too closely. Two drivers were transported to a local hospital as a precaution.

• 46 feet of iron railing, valued at $250 per foot, or $11,500 total, was stolen from a home under construction on Palm Lane. A 59- year-old construction worker reported the theft on April 10. The railing had been installed three months prior.

• On April 6, a silver 2006 Dodge Caravan pulled out of Deer Lane, cutting in front of deputies traveling on East Cross Island Road. Deputies stopped the vehicle. Upon approaching the driver, deputies noticed a strong smell of cologne, which they suspected might have been sprayed to mask the odor of intoxicants. The 48-year-old male driver’s condition supported this theory, and he voluntarily submitted to field sobriety tests and agreed to being taken to the precinct for a breath test, which recorded his blood-alcohol level at .117. He was cited in connection with driving under the influence of alcohol and was provided a courtesy transport home.

• Deputies following a green 1991 Ford Ranger noticed the driver putting his seat belt on as he turned through the intersection of West Camano Hill Road and East Camano Hill Road. When they stopped the driver, they smelled intoxicants and asked the 57-year-old man for his license, registration and proof of insurance. The man handed over his registration, put his proof on insurance on the passenger seat, and kept his license. The deputy asked again for the missing documents, and the man produced his license, leaving the proof of insurance on the seat. When the deputy asked one last time, the man picked up the proof of insurance and handed it to the deputy. He agreed to a field sobriety test, which he failed, and refused to submit to a breath test. He was cited in connection with driving under the influence and failure to wear a seat belt.

• Deputies running stationary radar observed a green 1997 Ford Escort following too closely. The vehicle ahead of the Escort pulled off the road to let it pass, and deputies stopped the car near the intersection of Smith Road and Penny Lane. The 25-year-old male driver smelled of intoxicants and agreed to a breath test, which read .91. He was cited in connection with driving under the influence and was provided a courtesy transport home.

• A 45-year-old man reported that his green 1998 Toyota pickup, which he left unlocked at his Birch Lane residence, had been burglarized during the night of March 30. The man said his sunglasses, flashlight, squeegee and breath mints were missing. He estimated the total value at $211.

• On April 5, a 45-year old man reported his 1999 Ford Escort and 1997 Ford F-250 pickup were burglarized. Both vehicles had been left unlocked at the man’s residence in the 2000 block of Paradise Road. The only item missing was a Cabela’s windproof lighter.

• A 45-year-old male resident of Coho Lane reported that his bank had contacted deputies on April 9 in regards to suspicious transactions in his account. The man told deputies he had been defrauded of $381.37. The man subsequently closed all his accounts.

• A silver 2001 Dodge Ram pickup caught deputies’ attention on April 7, when they recognized it as being connected with a previous encounter with a suspended driver’s license. They stopped the truck near the intersection of SR 532 and Fox Trot Way. The driver, a 26-year-old woman, was still driving with a suspended license, although she said she had been told the restriction had been removed. She couldn’t produce proof of insurance or registration, though, and the truck, which was elevated, didn’t have mud flaps. Deputies impounded the vehicle and cited the woman in connection with no insurance and no mud flaps.