Standoff ends in surrender

MEADOW LAKES — Alaska State Troopers had its first chance to showcase the usefulness of a new armored truck stationed in Palmer Friday morning when a call to respond to an assault turned into a standoff with an armed man.

Troopers spokesperson Megan Peters said the incident began early Friday when troopers responded to an assault reported at the residence and ended around 11:30 a.m., when the man was taken into custody.

“We’ve made contact with the subject, who is now detained,” she wrote in an email. “Investigation is ongoing.”

Alaska State Troopers had asked people to avoid the vicinity of Rainbow Road off Mile 49, Parks Highway for several hours while the standoff was resolved.

Troopers received the call and responded around 5:30 a.m., Friday to a report of an assault that occurred inside a house there. On scene, troopers were advised that Steven Sellars, 23, of Meadow Lakes, was inside the home and had access to a firearm, according to an AST statement.

Peters said troopers responded by establishing a perimeter around scene and asked residents in the neighborhood to stay inside their homes while an attempt to contact Sellers was made.

A Wasilla negotiator responded to assist, but could not establish contact with Sellars, Peters said.

On scene, neighbors watched from the parking lot of a nearby business. Troopers called out to Sellars over a loudspeaker to give himself up.

That’s when the BearCat was called in. At 11 a.m., the BearCat armored truck opened the front door of the residence and a robot was deployed inside the home to contact Sellars, according to troopers.

“Sellars then placed his hands outside of a window. Troopers instructed Sellers to walk out of the home unarmed to contact troopers. Sellers cooperated with AST and was detained without incident,” according to the press statement.

No one was injured in the incident, Peters said. Sellars was taken into custody around 11:30 a.m., about six hours after the incident began.

Sellars is charged with two counts of third-degree assault, fourth-degree assault and weapons misconduct. Investigation is ongoing.

Troopers purchased three $286,000 Lenco BearCats last month, one of which is assigned to the Palmer Alaska State Troopers Post. At the time, troopers told media representatives they intended to repaint them. As of Friday, at least the Palmer unit was still olive drab.

A similar vehicle was used in the Valley a few years ago when troopers borrowed the Anchorage Police Department’s Lenco B.E.A.R., the BearCat’s big brother, when confronting a suspect who shot at a trooper near Willow. The armored vehicle brought negotiators close enough to convince the shooter to surrender.

Contact managing editor Heather A. Resz at 352-2268 or heather.resz@frontiersman.com.