Troopers Impound Vehicle After Dangerous Driving on I-5

WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — Washington State Patrol troopers arrested a driver Tuesday evening after tracking a vehicle reported for dangerous and erratic driving along Interstate 5, authorities said.

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According to Trooper Kelsey Harding, troopers received reports of a vehicle passing traffic on the shoulder and traveling at speeds approaching triple digits. A trooper located the vehicle and followed it, observing repeated violations.

Harding said the driver followed vehicles at extremely close distances, changed lanes without signaling and used freeway on- and off-ramps to pass traffic. At times, the vehicle crossed gore points and drove along the right shoulder. Troopers arrested the driver for reckless driving and impounded the vehicle.

The incident occurred along the stretch of I-5 between the Bakerview Road exit and Exit 260. A corridor PNW Daily has repeatedly examined in coverage of frequent crashes, and dangerous driving behavior, including the Crash Report’s “Highway of Death” series.

The same section of freeway has also been shut down multiple times this week because of collisions, underscoring ongoing safety concerns along one of Whatcom County’s busiest traffic corridors.

Officials said the arrest marked the second reckless driving case in Whatcom County on Tuesday.

As PNW Daily previously reported, the corridor recorded more than 200 crashes in 2024 alone. That total averages nearly one crash per day. Between 2019 and 2023, the stretch saw nine fatal crashes that killed 10 people. Those figures placed it among the state’s 10 deadliest 10-mile road segments.

Traffic safety experts cite several recurring risk factors. Closely spaced interchanges limit reaction time. Ramp backups often spill into travel lanes. High-speed through traffic mixes with slower merging vehicles. Heavy commercial and cross-border traffic adds congestion.

Drivers frequently report sudden slowdowns near the Iowa Street, Portal Way, and Main Street ramps. Those conditions have contributed to repeated serious crashes.

Notable fatal crashes in recent years

Several fatal crashes along the Old Fairhaven Parkway to Ferndale stretch of Interstate 5 have occurred in recent years. Many remain fresh in the memory of Whatcom County residents.

Traffic-related deaths documented since 2024 include:

January 2024 — Bellingham (Sunset Drive area):
A fatal crash closed portions of I-5 near the Sunset Drive interchange.
August 2024 — Ferndale (Portal Way):
A motorcyclist died after colliding with a vehicle entering southbound I-5 at the Portal Way interchange, according to investigators.
October 2024 — Bellingham (Northwest Avenue area):
A 20-year-old motorcyclist died following a crash on northbound I-5.
January 2025 — Bellingham (Northwest Avenue area):
A 24-year-old man died after a rollover and subsequent collision on southbound I-5. The crash caused extended lane closures and backups.
January 2026 — Ferndale (Main Street area):
22-year old Momina Khan died when a northbound pickup crossed the median and struck her vehicle head-on during rush hour.

These incidents account for at least five traffic-related deaths between 2024 and early 2026 along this section of Interstate 5. This total excludes non-traffic suicides.

When combined with earlier Washington State Patrol data, at least 15 people have died in traffic-related crashes on this corridor since 2019, based on state records and media-confirmed reporting.

The Top 10 ranking of this stretch of highway as one of the deadliest in the state illustrates just how dangerous aggressive driving can be.

This traffic report is part of the ongoing crash report series sponsored by CRASHLAW.NET, tracking serious traffic incidents across Washington state. If you’ve been seriously injured in an auto accident, give Ziad Youssef and the team a call today at (360) 255-5046.