Larson will not face charges in Tallman shooting

WASILLA — The Palmer district attorney said he would not charge a school and state parole board member who shot a pursued man following a high speed chase on someone else’s property.

Richard Ole Larson, 63, shot Codey Tallman, 24, March 30, following a brief altercation that began on Larson’s property and spilled over onto an adjoining lot, according to charging documents in the Tallman case.

Palmer district attorney Roman Kalytiak outlined his reasoning in a brief e-mail to reporters Thursday afternoon.

“In deciding whether to prosecute, I took into account all the facts and circumstances, including Mr. Tallman’s criminal history and Mr. Larson’s lack of criminal history,” Kalytiak wrote. “It is obvious that Mr. Larson would claim self-defense at trial. Due to Mr. Tallman’s dangerous conduct that day and his lack of credibility, the prosecution would not be able to disprove self-defense, which is our burden in a trial of this type. Trying to prosecute such a case would not be a wise use of State resources.”

Kalytiak said he and two district attorneys had reviewed the case file before reaching a decision. The decision not to prosecute Larson would have no bearing on Tallman’s prosecution, Kalytiak said.

Larson has generally avoided commenting publicly on the incident. His attorney, former Wasilla mayor Verne Rupright, was not immediately available to answer questions.

Larson encountered Tallman following an alleged high-speed chase through the neighborhoods in a pickup truck, occasionally exceeding 60 miles per hour, and at one point swerving around a school bus stopped with flashing red lights. When troopers caught up with him near the intersection of Willow Drive and Pine Street, Tallman allegedly bailed out and fled on foot, crossing Larson’s property at one point.

Larson is a school board member who worked for 29 years as a counselor, correctional officer, sergeant, assistant superintendent and superintendent. He retired in 2005 as the superintendent of the Mat-Su Pretrial facility.

This is a developing news story. It may be updated as more develops.

Contact reporter Brian O’Connor at 352-2270, brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com, or on Twitter @reporterbriano.