Bounty hunter tracked woman

Published 10:38 pm Thursday, June 12, 2008

LAKE STEVENS — The bounty hunter who opened fire June 6 in a convenience store parking lot allegedly used a confidential informant to track down the woman he was trying to arrest, according to documents obtained Thursday.

No one was hurt when Nathan Hingson, co-owner of Bail Bond by Nate in Lynnwood, used a firearm to try to detain a Lake Stevens woman, 25, wanted on misdemeanor warrants.

Lake Stevens police on Wednesday arrested Hingson, 45. He was jailed for investigation of second-degree assault and was released on bond early Thursday.

After the June 6 shooting, Hingson told The Herald he happened to see the woman’s pickup truck at Norm’s Market on Lundeen Parkway and moved in to make the arrest.

Police allege Hingson used an informant to locate and set up a meeting at the Lake Stevens store, according to a police affidavit that was prepared after the man’s arrest.

When Hingson approached the woman in the parking lot, he allegedly did not identify himself as a bail recovery agent and made no mention that he wanted to arrest her on warrants, the papers said.

Hingson allegedly pointed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol at the woman in her pickup and yelled, “Open the door or I’ll shoot,” the documents said.

Hingson earlier said he smashed out the driver’s window as the woman tried to leave.

The woman told police she began to back up, but that path was blocked, so she drove forward and Hingson began shooting, the documents said.

Police found six spent shell casings in the parking lot.

The bounty hunter reportedly told police he broke the window because he thought the woman was going to escape. He said he fired his weapon at the truck’s tires because “he felt she was going to strike him with the vehicle,” the documents said.

No charges have been filed. Hingson’s attorney said the bounty hunter plans to enter a not guilty plea if charges are filed.

Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com.