Maple Falls man arrested for allegedly breaking into home, hitting man with hammer
A Maple Falls man was arrested Saturday, April 18, after he allegedly broke into his brother-in-law’s house near Ferndale, sprayed him with pepper spray and hit him in the head with a hammer.
Alexsandr Pavlovich Pilat, 35, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault (domestic violence) and first-degree burglary.
On Saturday, Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at a house near Ferndale after a child ran to a next-door neighbor and said their father had been pepper-sprayed by a man who came into their house, Chief Deputy Kevin Hester told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
Deputies learned that a man had entered the residence, pepper-sprayed the homeowner and hit him in the head with a hammer, Hester reported. The suspect then left in a vehicle, which was described to deputies.
As a deputy arrived at the house, another found the suspect vehicle driving westbound on Grandview Road. The vehicle was stopped and Pilat was taken into custody without incident, Hester reported.
Deputies learned Pilat was the victim’s brother-in-law, and the pair had not talked or seen each other in three years. Deputies also learned Pilat showed up at the residence on Saturday, “unannounced and uninvited,” according to Hester.
Pilat walked in the back door and ordered the victim to get on the floor in front of his family, Hester reported. The victim allegedly refused and put a chair between himself and Pilat. Pilat then allegedly pepper-sprayed the victim and hit him on the top of the head with a hammer, Hester wrote.
The victim and Pilat continued to struggle with each other until Pilat dropped the hammer and pepper spray and eventually fled the house in his vehicle, Hester reported.
The victim received medical attention on scene, but did not need to be taken to the hospital, according to Hester.
Pilat does not have any previous felony convictions in Whatcom County, according to Whatcom County court records.
