A 26-year-old Blaine man was arrested for an assault and hate crime after he shouted homophobic slurs while beating another man during an altercation at a Bellingham bar in late December.
According to the Bellingham Police Department’s affidavit of probable cause, the victim reported he was playing pool with his boyfriend at a bar in the 310 block of E. Holly Street on December 21 when he heard a man, later identified as Trevor Robert Mikoch, using racial slurs and trying to fight other people at the bar.
When the victim tried to deescalate the situation, Mikoch called the victim a “f--” and then started punching him in the face, according to court records. The victim also reported Mikoch attempted to gouge the victim’s eyes with his fingers.
Mikoch was arrested for fourth-degree assault, a gross misdemeanor, in downtown Bellingham shortly after the incident. While being processed at Whatcom County Jail, a Bellingham police officer heard Mikoch say, “We use to be able to beat f-- up,” which established probable cause for commission of a hate crime, a Class C felony, court records show.
Mikoch posted a $15,000 bail bond and was released from jail two days later on December 23.
