Bellingham homeless man reportedly threatens dog with a knife and the owner with a gun
A woman walking her dog Monday afternoon near the Sportsplex reportedly had a homeless man threaten her dog with a large Bowie knife and then return and threaten her with what appeared to be a rifle. Neither she nor her dog were physically injured in the incident.
Bellingham Police booked Darryl Eric Ballweber, 37, into Whatcom County Jail March 29 on suspicion of carrying/exhibiting/drawing a weapon, second-degree assault, felony harassment and first-degree criminal impersonation. Jail records show he is being held in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Officers were called at approximately 3:12 p.m. Monday to the 1200 block of Civic Field Way, after the victim called 911 to report that a man had pointed a gun at her, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
Officers contacted Ballweber, who initially lied and identified himself as his brother, and a woman in the area, Murphy reported.
The investigation showed that the victim was walking her dog and throwing a stick for the dog behind the Sportsplex when Ballweber and the other woman approached her on the trail, according to Murphy. Ballweber was reportedly aggressive and started yelling at the victim, before he ran back into the woods along the trail.
He reemerged a few seconds later with a large Bowie knife, which he pointed at the dog and the victim and said something close to, “I will murder your dog,” Murphy reported. The victim said he would do no such thing, allegedly prompting Ballweber to shout that he had something for the victim.
Ballweber went back into the woods and came back again a few seconds later with what appeared to be a black rifle with a scope on it, which he pointed at the victim from approximately 30 feet away and said, “I have a gun,” according to Murphy.
The victim turned and ran away with her dog, which had not posed any threat to Ballweber, Murphy reported. When she got to a safe distance she called 911.
Officers recovered the knife from the Ballweber’s female companion and located his campsite in the wooded area, according to Murphy. Police received a search warrant for Ballweber’s tent and found two BB rifles with scopes inside, Murphy reported.
Whatcom County Superior Court records show Ballweber also was arrested on an outstanding warrant for a domestic violence incident from February. Additionally, court records show Ballweber has previous convictions for drug possession, burglary, unlawful firearm possession, theft and attempting to elude police in Whatcom County, as well as vehicular assault in Pacific County and harassment, assault, criminal trespassing, unlawful inhalation of toxic fumes, malicious mischief and escape in Skagit County.
This story was originally published April 1, 2021 at 8:11 AM.
