Man in motorhome accused of ramming Bellingham police SUVs, leading officers on chase

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Bellingham police are asking the public to be on the lookout for a man wanted for ramming officers’ police SUVs and then leading them on a chase while behind the wheel of a motorhome, according to the police department.

Marco Salinas of Ferndale is 37 years old. He was last seen driving a 1986 Ford motorhome with Washington license plate #ADD6289. The vehicle is beige with two distinct horizontal dark stripes, an air conditioning unit on top, and a door on the rear passenger side.

Salinas is wanted for:

• Two counts of first-degree assault.
• Two counts of attempted first-degree assault.
• Two counts of second-degree malicious mischief.
• Attempting to elude a police vehicle.
• Several warrants.

Bellingham officers said they saw Salinas in the motorhome at a gas station shortly after he was identified as a theft suspect and knew he had warrants for domestic violence-related malicious mischief/harassment and second-degree theft /failing to obey an officer.

Police said he also appeared to be impaired and was suspected of DUI.

An officer tried to pull over Salinas in the 4200 block of Meridian, but Salinas backed up, slammed into a wall, rapidly accelerated, and rammed the police SUV head-on, damaging it, according to officers.

He then rammed a second occupied police SUV head-on, damaging it as well.

Both officers were unhurt.

As Salinas fled, he ran several red lights and intentionally swerved into the path of another police SUV, but the officer behind the wheel was able to avoid the suspect. Police said Salinas again swerved to try to hit a fourth patrol officer who was on the shoulder as Salinas was getting onto the freeway. The officer was able to move out of the way to avoid being hit.

Police said Salinas continued to flee from officers and drove recklessly through parking lots, alleys and on the road, at one point swerving toward pedestrians as if to hit them. He then headed toward downtown.

At that point, officers ended the chase, turned off their lights and pulled over as Salinas continued to flee in his motorhome.

Police are asking Salinas to surrender to authorities peacefully.

Anyone who sees him is asked to call 911 immediately.

If you have information about his location, you are asked to use the Bellingham PD online tip form here: www.cob.org/tips or call 360-778-8611.

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