Ferndale Man Arrested After Thursday I-5 Hit-and-Run Rollover

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A Ferndale man arrested in an August DUI and hit-and-run case now faces new allegations after a collision on southbound Interstate 5 near Grandview Road sent law enforcement officers searching along railroad tracks during Thursday morning’s commute.

Washington State Patrol Trooper Kelsey Harding confirmed to PNW Daily that Tyler Nicholas Appel was the driver involved in the Oct. 15 collision near milepost 265.

This Crash Report is sponsored by CrashLaw.NET, a legal resource for crash victims in Whatcom County.

Whatcom County jail records show that authorities booked Appel at 12:55 p.m. Thursday on allegations that include driving under the influence and hit-and-run involving unattended property.

PNW Daily observed Washington State Patrol troopers, Ferndale police officers and Whatcom County sheriff’s deputies at the scene as traffic backed up beneath the Portal Way overpass. Officers searched for Appel after he reportedly fled along nearby railroad tracks.

The Washington State Department of Transportation reported that the collision blocked the left lane of southbound I-5 just south of Grandview Road during the 7 a.m. hour. WSDOT later announced that the scene had cleared.

Jail Records List DUI and Hit-and-Run Allegations

Whatcom County jail records list four allegations under Washington State Patrol case No. 26W022237: driving while license suspended in the second degree, hit-and-run involving unattended property, driving under the influence and operating a vehicle without an ignition interlock device.

The booking record lists a $3,500 appearance bond for the driving-while-license-suspended charge. The record includes the other WSP charges under the same bond arrangement.

A separate case from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office also lists an allegation of operating a vehicle without an ignition interlock device.

Authorities have not provided PNW Daily with further details about the I-5 collision, including whether anyone suffered injuries or the extent of any property damage.

Earlier DUI and Hit-and-Run Arrest in Birch Bay

The latest allegations follow an Aug. 24 crash that led to Appel’s arrest near Kickerville Road and Birch Bay Lynden Road.

PNW Daily reported Aug. 25 that Whatcom County sheriff’s deputies responded after another driver reported a hit-and-run involving a trailer. According to the Sheriff’s Office account cited in that report, the driver said Appel’s vehicle followed closely and swerved before striking the trailer.

Appel then attempted to flee and eventually drove into a ditch on Birch Bay-Lynden Road.

The earlier arrest does not establish guilt in either case. The charges associated with the latest incident also remain allegations, and Appel is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

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