An Acme man is facing a felony charge and multiple misdemeanors after police say he led officers on a chase, abandoned his van on the Nooksack River bridge on Slater Road, and jumped into the river to avoid arrest. Matthew Pruett, 51, pleaded not guilty on September 1 to felony attempting to elude a police vehicle and several related charges. He remains in custody at the Whatcom County Jail awaiting trial, which is tentatively scheduled for October 26.
What Happened on the Nooksack River Bridge
The incident occurred during the evening commute on Monday, August 31, at approximately 5:30 p.m. A Lummi Nation Police Department officer observed a 2000 Dodge Ram van traveling eastbound near the 2900 block of Slater Road. According to a probable cause affidavit filed in Whatcom County Superior Court, about 30% of the vehicle's front windshield and the passenger-side window were obstructed by furniture, trash, and debris, while both rear windows were completely blocked. A vehicle in that condition presents serious visibility hazards not only to the driver but to every other driver sharing the road.
The officer activated emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop after seeing the van drift left across the centerline. Instead of pulling over, the driver accelerated and continued eastbound past Imhoff Road. Near Ferndale Road, the van moved into the westbound lane to pass another vehicle, nearly causing a head-on collision with oncoming traffic. The affidavit estimates the van reached 60 miles per hour in a 50 mph zone.
The vehicle eventually stopped on the bridge over the Nooksack River. Pruett exited the van, climbed over the bridge railing, and jumped into the river. He then swam approximately 380 yards south before being taken into custody by Whatcom County Sheriff's Office deputies at the end of Rayhorst Road on the west bank. He was booked into the Whatcom County Jail by Bellingham Police at approximately 7:40 p.m. The 380-yard swim in the Nooksack River, a waterway with variable currents and cold late-summer temperatures, represented a substantial physical effort and real risk to Pruett's safety as well as to any emergency responders who might have needed to enter the water to assist him.
What Pruett Told Law Enforcement
During a post-arrest interview, Pruett told officers he fled because he had outstanding warrants and, according to My Bellingham Now, because he "hated going to jail." Jail booking records confirmed he had active warrants for possession of a stolen vehicle in Bellingham and driving with a suspended license. His vehicle also lacked insurance and a required ignition interlock device, which is typically ordered by a court as a condition of driving privileges following a prior impaired driving offense. The presence of multiple pre-existing legal issues made a routine traffic stop a high-stakes encounter from Pruett's perspective, even though the initial reason for the stop, the obstructed windshield and lane drift, would ordinarily have resulted in a minor citation.
Prosecutors charged Pruett on September 1 with felony attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, an ignition interlock device violation, third-degree driving while license suspended, and obstructing a law enforcement officer. At a preliminary appearance that same day, a judge set bail at $20,000 appearance bond or $2,000 cash. The court also prohibited Pruett from driving as a condition of release and granted a defense request permitting him to reside in King County, although as of September 10 he remains in custody.
The Broader Context on Slater Road
The stretch of Slater Road near Ferndale Road and the Nooksack River bridge is a busy corridor connecting Lummi Nation, Ferndale, and communities west of I-5. The area sees regular commuter and commercial traffic, and a vehicle traveling the wrong way at speed in that corridor presented a serious risk to other drivers. The near head-on collision near Ferndale Road, had it occurred, would have happened in a zone where traffic speeds are sufficient to cause severe injuries or fatalities.
The Nooksack River bridge on Slater is a significant crossing, and a van left abandoned on the bridge during the evening commute closed both lanes of traffic and drew a significant emergency response. The disruption extended well beyond the pursuit itself, tying up multiple agencies and blocking a key crossing for the duration of the response.
The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office assisted in the search and arrest after Pruett entered the river. The Lummi Nation Police Department, which initiated the stop, has jurisdiction on and near the Lummi Reservation and regularly coordinates with county and city agencies on incidents that cross jurisdictional boundaries. This case also involved Bellingham Police completing the booking, illustrating the multi-agency nature of law enforcement in Whatcom County. Incidents that begin on tribal land and move quickly through county and municipal jurisdictions require rapid coordination between agencies that operate under different legal authorities, and the response here reflected that coordination working effectively.
Pruett is next scheduled to appear in court on September 30. His trial is tentatively set for October 26 in Whatcom County Superior Court. For updates on this and other Whatcom County criminal justice cases, the superior court's public case records can be searched online. Earlier local crime coverage is available in recent Whatcom County reporting.
