The victim of an attempted homicide near Birch Bay has been released from the intensive care unit at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle in “satisfactory condition,” according to UW Medicine. The woman was admitted to the hospital in serious condition on August 20.
Clayton Edward DuBois, 43, was arrested for one count of second-degree attempted homicide with a domestic violence emphasis, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree.
An affidavit of probable cause (APC) filed in Whatcom County Superior Court revealed DuBois attempted to drop off the badly beaten woman at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, sparking a physical altercation with hospital security that resulted in Bellingham Police Department responding at 3:42 a.m. on August 20.
According to the APC, DuBois told hospital security he had a gun in his truck and attempted to go back to his truck before police arrived. Police also began to wrestle with DuBois before detaining him. DuBois told police he had consumed methamphetamine, marijuana and tequila previously and police arrested him on suspicion of DUI.
The victim, a 41-year-old woman, had multiple injuries including facial fractures, a broken left elbow, broken ribs on both sides, and many lacerations and scrapes. DuBois told officers on multiple occasions that he was trying to kill her, according to the APC, but said he had “a change of heart.”
DuBois told Bellingham police the attempted murder happened at his address at Lincoln Road, just south of California Creek. WCSO deputies and Bellingham police found two guns in a gun safe after executing a search warrant on the house.
DuBois was a convicted felon barred from owning firearms, according to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO). Court records show DuBois has been the respondent of several filings for domestic violence protection orders dating back to 2006.
A preliminary appearance in Whatcom County Superior Court for DuBois was held on August 22, and the court set bail at $500,000, or a $50,000 cash bond. The court issued a no-contact order for the woman, and an arraignment is scheduled for August 30 while DuBois remains in Whatcom County Jail.
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic or sexual violence, the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (DVSAS) 24-hour hotline is available at 360/715-1563 or 877/715-1563.
Brigid Collins Family Support Center, a Bellingham-based nonprofit working to end child abuse, can be reached at 360/734-4616 and brigidcollins.org.
Lummi Victims of Crime has a 24-hour helpline at 360/312-2015.
The National Domestic Violence Helpline operates a chat line at thehotline.org/help.
