A 20-year-old member of the Makah Tribe has been sentenced to two years in prison for assaulting his intimate partner with a knife on the Lower Elwha Klallam Reservation, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The incident took place in May 2024 and involved a violent attack that left the victim hospitalized for several days.

The defendant, identified as Peyton Blaise Watson, stabbed the woman in the neck during a domestic altercation, authorities said. Law enforcement from both the Lower Elwha Police Department and the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene after a witness called 911. When officers arrived, they found the victim nearby and safely separated Watson from her. The woman identified him as her attacker and was later taken to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, where she underwent surgery for her injuries.

The DOJ reported that the victim remained in the hospital for five days. The FBI assisted in the investigation, collecting a black folding knife roughly three inches long as evidence, which was identified by both the victim and witnesses as the weapon used. During her hospitalization, the victim recounted that Watson had not only attacked her but also allegedly threatened to kill her during the assault.

Although prosecutors noted that the assault was an isolated incident and that Watson had no prior criminal record, they emphasized the gravity of the crime. Their submission to the court stated that Watson’s actions “easily could have killed” the victim. U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd described the case as a reminder of the federal government’s commitment to addressing violent crime on tribal lands, highlighting the importance of protecting victims and promoting accountability within Native communities.

Watson will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence, including conditions requiring mental health monitoring and substance abuse treatment.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice; MyNorthwest.