A man has been charged with attempted murder, after Anchorage police say he opened fire on an officer who stopped him during a chase overnight Saturday.
Joseph R. Fagundes, 32, also faces numerous counts of assault and weapons misconduct in the Saturday encounter. Police say Fagundes had four outstanding warrants in prior cases, which court records show include assault, escape and kidnapping charges.
According to a police statement, officers were told at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday that Fagundes was making threats to harm his ex-girlfriend and himself. Police also learned that Fagundes was driving a gold Jeep Compass. Officers then spotted the Jeep in East Anchorage.
“When the driver (later identified as Fagundes) noticed the police vehicles, he began running red lights near (East) 15th Avenue and Cordova Street,” said the police statement. “Due to his dangerous driving behavior, officers did not pursue.”
About half an hour later, it said, a patrol sergeant saw the Jeep heading toward him in South Anchorage near Hilltop Drive and West Klatt Road. When the sergeant turned on his vehicle’s emergency lights, the Jeep went into reverse. The sergeant pinned the vehicle against a snowbank to stop the pursuit, according to police.
“The sergeant exited his patrol vehicle, gave multiple commands to Fagundes, and then heard shots being fired at him from the Jeep,” police said. “The sergeant took cover and notified responding units.”
Police say the sergeant wasn’t hit by the gunfire, and that he did not return fire because he didn’t see a clear target. Responding officers found Fagundes under a trampoline near the 900 block of Allison Court, next to a gun – which was reported stolen in November from a locked pickup truck parked on East 87th Avenue.
Court records show Fagundes’ bail was initially set Sunday at $250,000. He was in custody Tuesday at the Anchorage Correctional Complex.
Chris Klint is a web producer and breaking news reporter at Alaska Public Media. Reach him at cklint@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Chris here.
