WA City of 17,000 Makes 3 DUI Arrests in 24 Hours

It was one of those days the Washington State Patrol does not want to repeat.

Around 4:04 p.m., Kelsey Harding with the Washington State Patrol reported troopers were dispatched to a two-vehicle crash on State Route 546 at Northwood Road in Lynden. Lynden Police secured the scene until troopers arrived.

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It was another DUI collision, and the third DUI arrest for that area in Whatcom County in a 24-hour period.

Troopers Find Wet Roads and Heavy Damage to Subaru

You may think that 3 DUI arrests in a day are no big deal, but Lynden’s population is only around 16,800. In a community that size, three DUI arrests in a single day is not just a statistic. It is alarming.

The photo from the scene shows a black Subaru pulled to the side of the road with significant front-end damage, mostly on the passenger side. The hood is crumpled upward, and pieces of the front spoiler or fender seem to be scattered behind the vehicle.

The pavement is obviously wet with puddles lining the shoulder. Gray skies can be seen overhead, and it looks like it just rained, the kind of conditions where drivers should be slowing down and giving themselves extra space.

Instead, driving impaired was part of the equation.

Small Town, but the Same Big Consequences for DUI

In a town of roughly 17,000 people, three DUI arrests in one day are not anonymous freeway numbers in a major metro area. These are neighbors sharing the same roads in a town where almost everyone knows eachother.

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Thankfully, this crash didn’t result in something worse.