Just before 9:30 a.m., the Washington State Patrol received a call about a two-vehicle accident at a rural intersection. Imagine the WSP and Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office’s surprise when they arrived to find the scene swarming with U.S. Border Patrol agents. Turns out, an unmarked CBP SUV had slammed into a bystander during a pursuit.

The intersection of Birch Bay–Lynden and Enterprise roads is a rural four-way stop surrounded by trees and farm fields. It’s just under nine miles from the nearest Canadian border crossing. According to the WSP, the CBP agent was in pursuit when they collided with an uninvolved third party.

Photos of the accident show a silver four-door SUV, likely an unmarked Ford Interceptor Utility, that veered off the road and into a field. A small black crossover, totaled, rests in the middle of the intersection. There is significant damage to the grille and front end of both vehicles.

WSP spokesperson Chris Loftis said both drivers suffered only minor injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital. The CBP and Department of Homeland Security declined to comment when questioned by journalists about the incident and the status of the suspect the CBP agent was pursuing. The FBI’s Seattle field office said it is investigating the incident.

Loftis said the WSP is investigating the accident “as we would any other.”

High-speed pursuits under increased scrutiny

Many police departments are revisiting their high-speed pursuit policies to better protect bystanders. Several states don’t allow unmarked patrol cars to lead a pursuit. The Department of Homeland Security is currently in a major hiring push and has generated 18,000 tentative job offers in 2025 alone.

Just days before the Washington State incident, two men were killed in a rollover crash while fleeing from the CBP during a pursuit in Texas.