The Central Emergency Services Fire Marshal was arrested over the weekend for allegedly choking and punching an adult family member inside a vehicle in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Wesley Dustin Perkins, 46, was arrested on domestic violence-related assault charges after the family member made a report Saturday evening to Alaska State Troopers and shared an audio clip of the alleged assault.
In the roughly two-minute audio recording, which was captured on a cell phone, Perkins can be heard cursing and threatening the family member, according to a trooper affidavit filed with the Kenai court.
The family member told troopers he had picked up Perkins from the Bow Bar in Kenai at about 5 a.m. on Saturday morning. When the two reached Perkins’ home, Perkins became angry and started yelling, according to the affidavit.
While still in the passenger seat of the vehicle, Perkins allegedly pushed the family member’s face and neck into a window and choked him three times, for about 10 to 15 seconds each. The family member told troopers that he couldn’t breathe and his vision began to fade during the choking incidents, according to the affidavit.
The family member also turned over text messages allegedly sent between Perkins and a third party, in which Perkins admitted he “smacked” the family member around, according to the affidavit.
After receiving a warrant to record a conversation between Perkins and the family member, troopers recorded Perkins apologizing for the alleged assaults. When interviewed by troopers, Perkins acknowledged being in an altercation but denied choking the alleged victim, according to the affidavit.
Perkins was charged with one count of second-degree assault, a Class B felony, one account of fourth-degree assault, a Class A misdemeanor; one count of second-degree criminal trespass, a Class B misdemeanor; and one count of third-degree assault, a Class C felony.
Perkins was arraigned at the Kenai Courthouse on Sunday and released on a $2,500 unsecured appearance bond and $2,500 unsecured performance bond. A preliminary hearing is schedule for Feb. 2.
When asked about Perkins’ work status, John Quick, the chief of staff for Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce, said he was aware of the incident but could not comment on personnel issues.
Reach Clarion reporter Erin Thompson at erin.thompson@peninsulaclrion.com.
