The Bellingham man suspected of vehicular homicide and DUI involving a pedestrian on Interstate 5 earlier this month, allegedly admitted to smoking marijuana and apparently ran out of gas before the fatal crash.
Lowell F. Mase, a 68-year-old man, who was the driver of the car that was involved, was booked into Whatcom County Jail on Oct. 7. His bail is set at $50,000 or $5,000 cash.
The State Patrol was still working to identify the male pedestrian who died at the scene as of Friday, Oct. 14, Trooper Kelsey Harding told The Bellingham Herald.
Mase was driving his white Ford Ranger southbound on Interstate 5 near milepost 258, just north of the Bakerview Road exit in Bellingham at about 6:35 a.m. Friday, Oct. 7, when his vehicle ran out of gas, according to Whatcom County Superior Court documents.
Mase pulled off the interstate onto the shoulder and began slowing down before hitting the pedestrian who was walking on the shoulder, documents state.
Mase told troopers that he was headed to work that morning and admitted to smoking a "small amount" of marijuana about an hour before the incident occurred, according to documents.
Based on field sobriety tests conducted by troopers at the scene, Mase's impairment was believed to be "slight," documents state.
