A 26-year-old Bellingham woman was killed and a 27-year-old Ohio man was seriously injured in an alcohol-related accident on North Whidbey early Sunday morning, the State Patrol reported.

The driver of the 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer, 32-year-old Jonathan Everbeck of Bellingham, was arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault, according to State Patrol Detective Jeff Rhue.

“We believe alcohol was involved,” Rhue said.

The State Patrol reported that Everbeck, an Oak Harbor High School graduate, was driving the SUV, with four passengers, west on Jones Road.

Everbeck lost control at a curve in the road near Anker Lane and left the roadway to the right. The Trailblazer rolled over a number of times and came to a rest on its wheels in the eastbound ditch. The accident was reported at 1:43 a.m.

Bryn Boyd was pronounced dead at the scene. Another passenger, Paul Thompson of Coshocton, Ohio, was seriously injured and airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment. He was in serious condition in intensive care Monday morning.

Neither Boyd nor Thompson were wearing seat belts, which Rhue said “definitely contributed” to the seriousness of the injuries.

Everbeck and two other passengers — 29-year-old Bryan Plumly of Oak Harbor and 31-year-old Joseph Reyes of Oak Harbor — were also injured and transported to Whidbey General Hospital. They were all treated in the ER and released the same day.

The SUV was totaled and impounded to the State Patrol’s “bull pen” in Burlington for investigation.

Everbeck was booked into Island County Jail Sunday and appeared in Island County Superior Court Monday for arraignment. His mother spoke on his behalf at the hearing, urging the judge not to set a high bail. She said the accident was a great tragedy and he is suffering greatly.

“He lost someone who he loved very, very much…” she said. “This is going to haunt him for the rest of his life.”

Everbeck’s attorney, Lance Hendrix of Coupeville, characterized the tragedy as a terrible accident. He said two of the passengers, who were in court, said Everbeck had simply swerved to avoid something in the road.

Almost exactly a year ago, a 21-year-old Navy man named Christopher Kadrlik was killed in an alcohol-related, rollover accident in the same area of North Whidbey.

You can reach News-Times reporter Jessie Stensland at jstensland@whidbeynewstimes.com or call 675-6611.