Alaska State Troopers arrested a 23-year-old Emmonak man last week after he barricaded himself in a house with an ax and then "violently" resisted arrest, troopers say.
Trooper William Conners responded to Justin Oktoyak's residence in the Southwest Alaska village Friday evening after a woman calling from a locked bedroom with three juveniles said Oktoyak was on a destructive rampage inside, troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said.
Oktoyak took a shovel to a vehicle parked outside and was breaking things inside, Peters said. The woman escaped with one of the children, but Oktoyak barricaded himself inside with two others, whom Peters described as young teenagers.
When Conners arrived with a village public officer, Oktoyak yelled that he had a shotgun, so the trooper and officer backed off, Peters said. Then Oktoyak ran out of the house carrying an ax.
The trooper tackled him but Oktoyak resisted him and the two got into a wrestling match, she said. The trooper was eventually able to put the man in handcuffs. Both received minor injuries, troopers said. No shotgun was found inside.
Oktoyak was intoxicated, Peters said.
He was arraigned Saturday in Bethel on six felony counts of third-degree assault as well as misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and criminal mischief with bail set at $25,000, according to troopers and a state courts database.
Reach Zaz Hollander at zhollander@adn.com or 257-4317.
By ZAZ HOLLANDER