Driving a 2018 grey Dodge van, Diana Hahn came to a stop at Marine Drive after a high-speed police chase on October 17. Photo courtesy of Meridian Towing.
Drugs, alcohol not suspected as the cause
By Stefanie Donahue
A pursuit that led law enforcement in both directions on I-5 ended with the arrest of a California woman who had earlier been reported missing by her family.
Around 10:15 p.m. on October 17, Blaine Police Department officer Jason Hentz responded to reports of a 2018 grey Dodge minivan headed south in the north-bound lanes of I-5 near the D Street exit, according to a 19-page incident report.
The officer entered I-5 south and proceeded to the emergency U-turn lane, near milepost 273, to look for the vehicle. Meanwhile, the driver, Diana Hahn, 51, of Eureka, California, turned around and re-entered I-5 south at Birch Bay-Lynden Road, this time going north.
Responding to more reports of a wrong-way driver, Hentz and Washington State Patrol trooper Margaret Tippins entered I-5 south at Peace Portal Drive and encountered Hahn, who drove in their direction at a high rate of speed, forcing them to swerve out of the way.
“I believed at that time the suspect driver was attempting to strike me with her vehicle and would have successfully done so if I hadn’t turned my patrol vehicle hard to the right,” read Hentz’s version of the incident. “It was clear to me the vehicle was driving with willful disregard for the safety of others and in a reckless manner.”
With lights on and sirens sounding, Hentz turned his vehicle around in pursuit of Hahn. According to the report, she came close to hitting Blaine Police Department officer Timothy Richardson, who was on his way to provide back-up assistance. She then exited at D Street, zoomed through a roundabout and onto Marine Drive.
With the road blocked by a train, she turned right onto a gravel Burlington Northern Santa Fe access road and continued north for approximately 200 yards when her left rear tire burst, stopping the vehicle.
Hahn, was alone in the vehicle and physically resisted officers before she was taken into custody. According to the report, officer Richardson used a Taser twice to subdue her.
She was booked into Whatcom County Jail on charges of reckless driving, attempting to elude a police vehicle, resisting arrest, third degree assault and second degree criminal trespass. At press time, Hahn was still in custody at Whatcom County Jail.
No one was injured in the incident, said Blaine police chief Allen Schubert, adding that Hahn showed no signs that she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
In an email, Schubert said, “The officers contacted Hahn’s [ex-husband] who was responsible for listing her as a missing person. He was grateful she was in custody.”
According to a GoFundMe page titled ‘Missing: Diana Hahn,’ Hahn had not been in contact with her family and friends and was “experiencing extreme paranoia.”
The page raised $8,745 from more than 100 donors and was created to pay for a private investigator, set up a legal team and pay for Hahn’s future medical treatment.
“The investigator is still spending every day working for us,” read a statement from the family on the GoFundMe page. “We are currently dealing with the Whatcom County court now, trying to get Diana the help she needs. […] We are anticipating a considerable amount of traveling between Humboldt and northern Washington.”
Ed. Note: This story was updated to reflect new information.
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