Man sentenced to more than 11 years in prison after incident south of Blaine

By Stefanie Donahue

As a result of an altercation with his wife and relatives at a home located just south of Blaine last December, Brian Pukaluk, 43, was sentenced to 11 1/2 years in prison with three years’ probation.

Pukaluk pleaded guilty in Whatcom County Superior Court on August 9 to one count of first degree assault with a deadly weapon (domestic violence); one count of possessing a controlled substance with no prescription (methamphetamine); two counts of assault in the fourth degree (domestic violence); and two counts of violating a protection order (domestic violence), court documents show.

Pukaluk avoided a jury trial, which was scheduled to begin on September 17, and 11 of 17 charges that were filed against him were dropped.

The altercation that spurred the case took place at a home located at the 9600 block of Ronald Drive on December 26, according to a probable cause affidavit.

After receiving a report of a domestic dispute and shots fired, Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Blaine Police Department officers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents were dispatched to the scene.

By the time law enforcement arrived, Pukaluk had driven away, crashed into a ditch and fled on foot before he was located and taken into custody.

Pukaluk was accused of physically assaulting his wife as well as two relatives that attempted to intervene, according to the affidavit. When his wife attempted to call for help, Pukaluk took her phone outside and destroyed it.

The wife eventually was able to escape the home and call 911, according to the affidavit. Pukaluk shot a long barrel firearm, likely a shot gun, in her direction and at her car before driving into both her car and his parent’s car.

At the time of the arrest, authorities recovered approximately 3.3 grams of methamphetamine from Pukaluk, according to the affidavit.