Blaine man dies in motorcycle crash on I-5 in Bellingham

The article published July 1 was updated to include information that appeared in the July 7 print issue of The Northern Light.

A Blaine motorcyclist died June 30 after he lost control on I-5 in Bellingham, left the road and ended up on Lakeway Drive below. No other drivers were injured.

Vincent T. Englert, 37, of Blaine, was riding his 2003 Honda VTX1800R northbound on I-5 approaching the Lakeway Drive overpass around 8:23 p.m. June 30 when he failed to negotiate a curve, drove into the median, struck a guardrail and crossed over a cement barrier, according to a Washington State Patrol (WSP) press release. Englert came to rest on Lakeway Drive. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

WSP reported speed and aggressive driving as the cause for the crash. Englert was wearing a helmet, according to WSP.

WSP trooper Jacob Kennett said Englert and his motorcycle fell in between the northbound and southbound lanes of the overpass and hit the wall beneath the bridges before falling onto Lakeway Drive.

A 2018 GMC Canyon pickup truck on Lakeway Drive was struck by the strewn guardrail, but the 73-year-old Bellingham driver was not injured, according to the press release.

Kennett said several witnesses reported seeing a motorcyclist traveling at a high rate of speed before the crash.

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) posted on Twitter the left lane of northbound I-5 was closed for about 40 minutes while Lakeway Drive was fully closed.

Bellingham Police Department posted on Facebook that Lakeway was closed while WSP investigated.

So far, it is the eighth fatal crash on Whatcom County roads this year, according to WSDOT’s crash data portal. There were 15 fatal crashes resulting in 18 deaths in 2021, two of which involved a motorcycle. Half of Whatcom’s fatal crashes in 2022 involved a motorcycle.