Charges filed after alleged pellet gun incident

PALMER -- The Alaska State Troopers are charging 31-year-old Darlene L. Kunayak with third-degree assault and fourth-degree misconduct involving weapons for an incident in which Kunayak allegedly pointed a pellet gun at an Alaska State Trooper. The incident happened about 45 minutes into the turn of the new year, and made Kunayak the third person to be charged with a criminal offense at the Palmer court house in 2003.

According to a state trooper release, Trooper Doug Cook responded to a 911 hang-up call in Sutton on Jan. 1.

Charging documents filed by Cook say he arrested a man presumed to be Kunayak's boyfriend. The man's name does not appear in the complaint filed against Kunayak. The Frontiersman had not been able to contact Cook for comment before this issue went to press.

In the complaint filed against Kunayak, Cook wrote that he was backing his patrol car out of the driveway of the Sutton residence when Kunayak came out the door with a rifle. She then pointed what appeared to be a rifle at the trooper, according to the affidavit.

Cook immediately left his car, took a position behind a tree and gave verbal commands for Kunayak to drop her weapon, according to the affidavit. He then started to raise his own weapon "in order to obtain a front sight picture," Cook wrote. Kunayak dropped the weapon -- a pellet gun -- and retreated into the house as Cook was moving his finger to his trigger, according to Cook's affidavit.

While she was being arrested, Kunayak told Cook that she wished the gun were real and that if it was she would have shot him, according to the affidavit.

Lt. Randy Hahn said Monday that Cook's reaction was appropriate. Hahn wasn't at the scene of the incident, but was read portions of the affidavit over the telephone. He said it is not uncommon for troopers to draw their weapons.

"Until we actually put our hands on a gun we don't know what kind of a gun it is." Hahn said. "There are many non-firing guns out there that appear to be firing guns until you can physically touch them."

Kunayak was asked to blow into a portable breathalyzer at the scene. According to Cook's affidavit, Kunayak's blood/alcohol level was .287 percent. Troopers are also charging Kunayak with fourth-degree misconduct involving a weapon for toting a pellet gun while drunk. Kunayak remains in custody at Hiland Mountain Correction Facility. Her bail is set at $5,000.