Colton’s MO

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

• On May 18, Island County Sheriff’s Office volunteers, who conduct “vacation checks” on empty homes, reported that the front and rear entrances to a South Camano Drive home were open. Deputies determined the front door had been forced. Nothing appeared to be missing from the residence, but a phone hub had been unplugged from the wall in one of the rooms. The neighbor said he had mowed the lawn on May 16, and given that information, deputies agreed the break-in had occurred in the last two days. They also observed a footpath leading to a small cabin, which had been burglarized, as well. Deputies noted that the incidents fit Colton Harris-Moore’s pattern of behavior, and consider him a prime suspect.

• On May 21, a deputy observed a green 1975 Ford F-150 traveling 25 mph in a 50-mph zone on S. East Camano Drive and being driven erratically, crossing the fog line and centerline multiple times. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle by activating his lights, but got no response. When he activated his siren, the vehicle traveled about 200 yards before jerking abruptly to the right, off the road and into the grass near Vanesse Avenue. The 65-year-old male driver said he was “lost,” and admitted to having no driver’s license or insurance. After confirmation that his license was suspended, the deputy cited the man in connection with driving with license suspended and no insurance.

• Deputies observed an empty black 1995 Ford Explorer parked near Camano Plaza. A check of the plates revealed that the registered owner, a 21-year-old man, had an expired driver’s license. Shortly after, the man got in the truck and drove away. The deputy stopped the truck and the driver admitted his license was expired and said he hadn’t had time to renew it, due to his work schedule. He was cited in connection with no valid identification.

• Following up on a prior hit-and-run of an unattended vehicle, deputies responded on May 22 to a residence where a gold car had been spotted in the garage, covered. A 42-year-old woman at the residence said she had been driving the car, a Kia, when she accidentally struck a parked car. At the time, she panicked and fled the scene. She expressed remorse and guilt over the incident and was very cooperative. She was cited in connection with hit-and-run of an unattended vehicle.

• On May 22 a deputy observed that the male driver of a white 1992 Mercury Marquis was not wearing a seatbelt, and initiated a traffic stop. The 29-year-old man did not have proof of insurance and produced an expired Alabama driver’s license, which had been suspended in 2007 for failure to pay a fine. He had no record in Washington state. The man was cited in connection with driving with license suspended, no seatbelt, and no insurance.

• Deputies responded to a non-injury motor-vehicle collision on May 20, near the intersection of SR 532 and N. East Camano Drive. A 19-year-old woman driving a maroon 1992 Ford Thunderbird had rear-ended a red 1995 Chevrolet Camaro, driven by a 50-yearold woman. The 19-year-old driver said she had not been able to stop quickly enough when traffic slowed ahead of her, and was cited in connection with following too closely.

• On May 6 a 48-year-old woman, a teacher at Utsalady Elementary School, reported that she had received a threatening and disturbing message on her cell phone.

• On May 8, a 60-yearold man reported that he could hear glass breaking next door to his Cottonwood Drive residence. Deputies arrived to find the man on the shoulder of the road with two boys, a 14-year-old and a 16- year-old. He said that after he had called 911, he went to investigate and discovered the boys walking down the road. The boys admitted they had been on the property, where they had broken the windows in an old trailer and took a few “cool things,”