The Alaska State Troopers have released more details about the case involving a Trooper fatally shooting a Sterling man following a physical altercation.
The Alaska Bureau of Investigation’s preliminary findings determined that Trooper John King attempted to initiate a traffic stop near Mile 82 of the Sterling Highway on a 1983 Lincoln that 49-year-old Jon Ployhar was driving.
Ployhar failed to stop for three to four minutes while Trooper King followed him. Eventually Ployhar pulled into the driveway of a private residence, exited the vehicle and attempted to flee.
Trooper King issued verbal commands to stop and then chased after Ployhar on foot.
Once the officer caught up to Ployhar, the driver resisted and a physical confrontation commenced, causing both men to fall to the ground.
During the altercation, Trooper King was struck multiple times by Ployhar about the head and face.
Trooper King attempted to use his taser but Ployhar grabbed it and King eventually fired one round from his duty weapon, hitting Ployhar in the chest according to the report.
Ployhar’s death was determined to have been caused by the single gunshot wound to the chest according to the autopsy conducted by the State Medical Examiner’s office.
When completed, the Alasks Bureau of Investigation’s report will be forwarded to the Department of Law’s Office of Special Prosecutions who will determine whether the use of deadly force was legally justified under the circumstances.
