Video: Man dies in possible road rage stabbing

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BELLINGHAM, Wash. - A 20-year-old Mount Vernon man was fatally stabbed during a fight on a Bellingham street Sunday afternoon in what may have been a case of road rage.

Bellingham police Lt. Steve Felmley says witnesses reported David Datskiy and his passenger pulled their vehicle over in the 1500 block of James Street at 1 p.m., and another vehicle pulled up beside them.

Datskiy and the other driver got out of their vehicles, argued and exchanged punches before witnesses said the second driver stabbed Datskiy and then fled from the scene.

"It looked like he (the suspect) threw a punch but it was… like a jabbing thing," said Steve Engsminger who saw the altercation." The kid (Datskiy) kind of went down to his knees."

Felmley says Datskiy's passenger, a male friend, drove him to St. Joseph Hospital, where he died.

KING

A spray paint circle marks the location of a possible road rage ncident in which a 20-year-old was stabbed to death in Bellingham, Wash. May 11, 2008.

While police initially reported the incident as road rage, the investigation has not yet confirmed it.

"The passenger in the victim's vehicle stated that they were have some car troubles, were going rather slow through the residential neighborhood," said Sgt. Ken Brown. "(the passenger) indicated that that might have been part of the problem"

What the assailant did after the stabbing bothers Engsminger.

"He had his window down and he waved to us and drove slowly and drove around the corner," Engsminger said. "That's disturbing. I don't think he realized he hurt this kid that badly."

Police were looking for the assailant, who is described as a white man in his 20s, 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a medium build, bald head, no facial hair, and wearing a blue shirt and black pants.

KING

Witness Steve Engsminger makes a stabbing motion as he describes the fight.

Witnesses said the suspect may have been driving a late model Cadillac and may have had a female passenger in the car.

When he went to Mt. Vernon High School, Datskiy was a talented cellist who played in the Fidalgo Junior Symphony.

Datskiy's family remembers him as a caring person who visited a local retirement center as a teenager to keep people company. More recently, they say he'd been attending Skagit Valley College and was involved in the band at Mt. Vernon's New Life Christian Church.

KING 5's Rob Piercy and Bernard Choi contributed to this report.