A Whatcom County man reportedly upset that the jail was too full to book him when he showed up for a court commitment was back in jail two hours later on suspicion of committing a new crime.
The Bellingham Police Department booked Diego Miguel Antonio Castro, 30, on suspicion of second-degree assault (domestic violence) and felony harassment (domestic violence) and a court commitment after he pleaded guilty to second-degree malicious mischief. Jail records show Castro is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail.
At approximately 9:16 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, Bellingham officers were called to the jail for the report that someone was making threats and refusing to leave, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
The man, later identified as Castro, had showed up at the jail to turn himself in for the court commitment, but Murphy reported there was no room in the jail. Castro also had a warrant for fourth-degree assault (domestic violence) from the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office, Murphy reported, but current jail booking restrictions did not allow for that booking either.
By the time Bellingham officers arrived at the jail, Castro had left, according to Murphy, but approximately an hour later, they were called to the 3600 block of Fraser Street for reports that Castro was outside and yelling at the home of a former partner, Murphy reported.
The victim told police she was scared of Castro, as he had been at the victim's home and reportedly assaulted her, though Murphy said that alleged crime went unreported at the time.
In that July 11 incident, the victim reported she got into an argument with Castro, who was intoxicated. Castro reportedly had put his hands on the victim's mouth and prevented her from breaking. Castro then reportedly struck the victim several times. Police reported the victim had bruising around an eye, swelling around her nose, head and forehead that was consistent with what she described, according to Murphy.
When police arrived Thursday, Castro was sitting on the stoop and was cooperative with officers, Murphy reported, and he explained that after what had happened an hour earlier at the jail he went to the home to pick up some belongings.
Police arrested him on suspicion of assault and harassment and booked him into jail.
Whatcom County Superior Court documents show Castro pleaded guilty to the malicious mischief charge on May 31 after damaging a Whatcom County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle following an arrest on a domestic violence warrant on Nov. 6, 2021. Castro was scheduled to report and begin serving a four-month sentence by June 30.
