A December shooting rampage will cost a Blaine man more than a decade in prison

A Blaine man will spend more than a decade in prison for a December shooting rampage and domestic violence incident against his wife and parents.

Brian Lee Pukaluk, 43, pleaded guilty Thursday in Whatcom County Superior Court to one count of first-degree assault with a firearm (domestic violence), one count of possession of methamphetamine, two counts of fourth-degree assault (domestic violence) and two counts of violating a no contact order. He was sentenced to 11½ years in prison, with three years probation, according to court records.

Pukaluk was initially facing 15 charges, then later 17, many of them felonies, including second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and harassment with threats to kill, records show.

Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney Haley Sebens, who handled the case for Whatcom County, said she worked closely with law enforcement and the victims involved in the incident to offer a deal that everyone agreed with and that made Pukaluk take responsibility for his actions.

Pukaluk’s public defense attorney Darrin Hall said Pukaluk was likely looking at nearly 30 years if convicted by a jury at trial, so 11½ years was a fair resolution.

The case

The day after Christmas, Pukaluk’s wife returned to their home in the 9600 block of Ronald Drive, which they shared with Pukaluk’s parents. The woman had gone to visit family in Enumclaw without her husband. While she was gone, Pukaluk took her clothes outside and lit them on fire, court records state.

When she returned to the house, the pair got into an argument. During the argument, Pukaluk bit his wife’s thumb while trying to get her phone away from her, as well as hit her, according to court records. He also pushed her face into a wooden bench, causing a two-inch vertical gash between her eyes, records state.

Pukaluk’s parents tried to intervene, but Pukaluk pushed his father and mother, causing his mother’s head to hit the wall and her to fall to the ground, court records state.

While Pukaluk’s mother and wife escaped outside, Pukaluk went to his Tahoe parked at the front of the house and got his shotgun. He then fired three rounds in his wife’s direction, reloaded, and fired several more shots into his wife’s Volkswagen Beetle, court records state. He then turned around and said “Who’s next?,” records show.

Pukaluk got into his vehicle, rammed it into his wife’s car and into his parent’s car and house, causing thousands of dollars in damage, court records state. Pukaluk drove away, ultimately crashing his SUV into a ditch off H Street Road, records show.

Pukaluk was arrested and more than three grams of methamphetamine were found in his pocket, according to court records.

Pukaluk’s wife and parents were examined by firefighters and none of their injuries required hospitalizations, court records state.