The .44 Magnum revolver found in Aaron Michael Sullivan's abandoned car had three spent shell casings in its cylinder, and he admitted to shooting at an Anchorage police officer after he was arrested Monday, according to charging documents.
Sullivan, 26, stands accused of shooting at the officer who tried to pull him over on an arrest warrant.
Sullivan made an initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon at the Anchorage Correctional Complex courtroom. He limped to the podium before hiding his face from a TV camera with papers that described the charges against him: first-degree attempted murder, first- and third-degree assault, weapons misconduct, eluding and reckless driving.
The attempted-murder charge carries a five- to 99-year jail sentence and a $500,000 fine.
Anchorage police detective Monique Doll wrote the criminal complaint supporting the charges against Sullivan. Her account says that early Monday, an unidentified officer attempted to stop a 2002 Saturn sedan because he knew it had been "involved in an eluding incident a week prior," the charges say.
The officer involved in the shooting will not be named until three days after the incident, per police department policy.
Sullivan allegedly refused to stop and drove off near North Klevin and North Lane streets in the neighborhood of Mountain View.
"As the officer was driving southbound on Lane Street toward Mountain View Drive attempting to locate the vehicle, the suspect vehicle recklessly came out of an alley driving westbound and violently struck the officer's vehicle …" the charges say.
The impact woke up several residents living several houses away from the wreck; the police vehicle and Sullivan's Saturn "locked" together, according to the charges.
Following the collision, the officer told Doll that Sullivan pointed a weapon at him, and he fired multiple shots in response. The charges do not indicate whether the officer reported being shot at.
The officer was transported to a local hospital for emergency treatment as he sustained injures to both of his knees. He was later released, Doll wrote.
A witness to "part of the incident" told police that the officer ordered Sullivan to put his hands up three times, but Sullivan did not comply.
"The civilian witness heard three gunshots, a pause and then 5-6 gunshots," the charges say. "The witness thought the person in the sedan was shooting at the officer and the second volley came from the police officer returning fire."
The witness also told police Sullivan freed his vehicle from the wreck and sped off, hitting a road sign on the east sidewalk of Lane, according to the charges. The Saturn was later found with multiple bullet holes in it, and a revolver was wedged between the car's front seat and center console.
"Three spent shell casings were found in the cylinder of the weapon," the charges say.
Police arrested Sullivan around noon Monday without incident. Charges say he admitted he'd been driving the Saturn and fired at the officer.
Alaska District Court Judge Gregory Motyka appointed Sullivan a public defender. Sullivan said he was employed as a maintenance and construction worker, though he saved little money.
"Five bucks," he said when the judge asked him if he had money in the bank.
Assistant district attorney Laura Dulic listed Sullivan's criminal history noting two recent felony convictions -- one of which he is still on probation for -- before requesting and being granted a $250,000 cash-only bond.
According to online court records, Sullivan's Alaska rap sheet goes back to 2008, when he pleaded no contest to a weapons charge. In 2011, he pleaded guilty to third-degree assault in Superior Court, and the following year he pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon.
"Given the gravity of the circumstances and charges in this case, in addition to his history, he poses both an extreme flight risk and danger to the community," Dulic said.