Man in trooper shootout killed self

PALMER — Alaska State Troopers say the man who shot and wounded one of their own before stealing a patrol car Saturday died of self-inflicted wounds.

According to an AST press statement Tuesday morning, Nicholas Leo Frazier, 22, of Anchorage, actually had four bullet wounds when he was found deceased inside a trooper’s patrol vehicle on Fireweed Road across from Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. Two of the wounds came from Trooper Andrew Ballesteros and two from a gun Frazier had, according to troopers who attended his autopsy.

The shootout began when Ballesteros, an 8-year veteran of the troopers, pulled over a Nissan passenger van, Frazier was driving near the Trunk Road roundabout at about 4:10 a.m., Saturday.

Three people were in the van. As Ballesteros interviewed one of the passengers, Frazier “exited the vehicle and produced a handgun and fired multiple rounds at the trooper,” according to AST accounts from the time.

Ballesteros was wounded in the head, but not seriously. He was treated and released that afternoon.

After Frazier shot at him, Ballesteros returned fire. Troopers say Frazier was wounded twice, but still managed to flee in Ballesteros’ patrol car.

“Frazier also received two additional wounds while seated inside the patrol vehicle after fleeing from the initial scene. These additional gunshot wounds appear to be self-inflicted, at least one of which was fatal,” according to the troopers press release from Tuesday.

Troopers say they’re continuing to investigate and won’t be releasing any more information for now.

Court records indicate Frazier was charged with low-level misdemeanors — driving on a suspended license, under-aged drinking — until relatively recently.

In late December 2011, he was charged with theft, trespassing and criminal mischief, all misdemeanors. The case ended two months later in early February with a no contest plea and a third-day jail sentence.

Early this year he picked up another suspended license charge. In May, he caught his first felony case for theft, burglary and criminal mischief. A second felony case came Sept. 9 when he was charged with assault. A warrant was issued for his arrest and he stopped making court appearances in the other cases.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.