Whatcom man allegedly assaults family members, then threatens to set home, himself on fire
A Whatcom County man reportedly assaulted two family members and apparently threatened to set himself and his house on fire last weekend before assaulting two sheriff’s deputies that responded to the Maple Falls incident.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office booked Edgar Asencio, 39, into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of attempted first-degree arson, resisting arrest and two counts each of third-degree assault and fourth-degree assault (domestic violence). Jail records show Asencio is being held in lieu of $150,000 bail.
Deputies responded at approximately 10:30 p.m. Saturday, June 11, to the 8300 block of Golden Valley Drive in Maple Falls for the report of a domestic disturbance, according to a sheriff’s office Facebook post, when witnesses reported that Asencio had assaulted two family members and poured gas in the attic of his house.
Asencio also had doused himself with gas and was threatening self harm, according to the post.
When deputies attempted to take Ascencio into custody, the post said he punched one deputy and continued to resist arrest until three deputies managed to arrest him.
During the investigation, deputies found two gallon-sized gas cans that each were half full with gasoline in the attic, according to the post, which added “It appeared Mr. Asencio had planned on igniting both gas cans.”
Saturday’s incident was not the sheriff’s office’s first interaction with Ascencio, as Whatcom County Superior Court records show he is scheduled to stand trial Aug. 29 on charges for two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of reckless endangerment from a 2021 incident.
According to court documents in that case, deputies responded April 20, 2021, to the 5300 block of Golden Valley Boulevard for reports that Asencio was shooting a gun.
Once arriving, deputies observed Ascencio standing in the backyard of the home with a fire burning and loud music, documents state, and as deputies approached from a distance, they saw Ascencio raise a firearm and shoot it. Over the next four hours, deputies reportedly watched Asencio shoot the firearm numerous times in the direction of the fire and a wood pile near the home and walk towards the road with a firearm in his hand, yell and point the gun in all directions.
Ascencio also was seen retrieving a shotgun from the home and carrying it in a reckless manner, documents state, which added the house was located in a “densely populated area with is a posted ‘No Shooting Zone’ by Whatcom County.”
