Man jailed after dog walker reported being threatened with weapons in Bellingham

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Bellingham Police responded to the Civic Field Way on March 29th after receiving a report of a man brandishing a rifle.

According to an affidavit of probable cause for arrest filed with Whatcom County Superior Court, a person walking a dog by the SportsPlex reported having been confronted by a man and woman. The man yelled at the dog walker and then went back into a nearby wooded area. He emerged with a “large bowie knife” and made threats against the dog. He then went back into the wooded area, returning this time with a rifle which he pointed at the dog walker.

The dog walker reported they fled the area and called 911.

Bellingham Police officers interviewed the 3 people involved and the man first denied the encounter, later saying he was “defending his spot” and provided a false name to the officers. The man and woman were said to have been staying in a tent just off the trail where the encounter occurred.

The man, identified in the affidavit as Darryl E Ballweber, age 37, was arrested by Bellingham Police and booked into Whatcom County Jail charged with suspicion of the following crimes according to jail records.