Coupeville Sports

Paul Schmakeit during his days as a CHS baseball player. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

Former Coupeville High School athlete Paul Schmakeit has been charged with first degree assault and first degree burglary and could face up to 34 months in prison.

The 2013 grad, who played baseball and football for the Wolves, was charged in Island County Superior Court this week and is being held in jail on $150,000 bail.

The charges stem from a burglary on the South end of the Island July 27 which left the home-owner, 68-year-old Dennis Phillips, paralyzed.

Schmakeit was later arrested at the Sumas border and also faces charges in Canada.

He attempted to avoid a customs inspection and a handgun was found in his car after his arrest by border authorities, according to a detective’s report.

During the Whidbey robbery, Phillips arrived home and surprised Schmakeit, then went after him with a shovel.

A police report states Phillips told detectives that Schmakeit speared him, knocking him to the ground. The two then fought on the ground, with the homeowner biting the younger man’s finger.

Phillips, who suffered from a previous back injury, was not able to move or feel his legs after the attack and was not found until five hours after Schmakeit is alleged to have fled the scene.

Schmakeit has no prior criminal record.

Prosecutors could consider adding “aggravating circumstance” of deliberate cruelty, because of the victim being left paralyzed.

That would allow a judge to increase the sentence above the standard range if a guilty verdict is reached, but the jury would have to approve it.