Whatcom woman hospitalized after allegedly being assaulted by man she refused cigarettes

A woman at a Ferndale gas station was hospitalized with a suspected concussion after a man she refused to give cigarettes reportedly hit her repeatedly in the head with a rock.

Ferndale Police booked Alexander Lynn Pollack, 30, into Whatcom County Jail Aug. 10, and Whatcom County Superior Court records show he was charged a day later with second-degree assault.

Jail records show bail has not yet been set for Pollack, and he was scheduled to make his first appearance in court Wednesday, Aug. 17.

Officers responded to the report of an assault with a weapon at 8:24 a.m. July 31 in the 5600 block of Barrett Road.

The victim reported to police that she was parked in the gas station parking lot and that she did not know Pollack but that he previously had asked her for cigarettes numerous times, Whatcom County Superior Court documents state.

On July 31, Pollack again asked the victim for cigarettes, and she told him to get his own cigarettes, according to court documents, triggering an argument between the two.

The victim reported that during the argument, Pollack threatened to hit her in the head with a rock, documents state, and the victim replied that he wouldn’t.

Pollack then retrieved a rock that was larger than the size of a fist from a nearby planter box and struck her in the forehead several times, according to documents. Pollack then reportedly pushed the victim to the ground and struck her in the back of the head with the rock, as well.

Police observed large bruises on the victim’s face and the back of her head and she complained of double vision, documents state, and she was taken to St. Joseph’s hospital in Bellingham for treatment.

Pollack was later located and arrested in Lynden, according to documents.