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Man charged with firing rifle into parents' home Sunday in Iliamna

Special response trooper team flew in, used robot to end potential standoff with intoxicated Lee J. Ludvick, 29, in Iliamna.

KDLG:  Lee Jonas Ludvick, 29, of King Salmon is in custody in on four charges related to firing a rifle into his parents’ home while there were occupants inside.

The incident occurred Sunday evening in Iliamna. A neighbor of the Ludvick's called state trooper Joe Minnick, reporting that three shots had been fired into the house.

Trooper Minnick responded, and on his arrival noticed a male step into the house and shut the door. His attempts to contact and speak to Ludvick with a loudspeaker and by telephone were ineffective, so Minnick called for back-up. Minnick has had prior interactions with Ludvick before, including investigating a 2009 incident where an intoxicated Ludvick fired his rifle at hunting companions during a dispute, shooting one. Minnick charged Ludvick with three counts of attempted murder, which were pleaded down to one count of second degree assault. 

Two troopers from Dillingham flew to Iliamna, arriving a few hours later. Eventually, both of Ludvick's parents, Pete and Shirley, exited the house unharmed. Troopers say neither was helpful in resolving the situation.

Ludvick was still inside the home with Terry Wassillie. Outside, troopers were unsure if Wassillie was a hostage, or was injured or worse. Alaska state troopers lost two of their own last year entering a home to arrest a man in Tanana. 

The call was made fly a state trooper Special Emergency React Team (SERT) to Iliamna from Anchorage. When they arrived, now late into the night, SERT used a robot rover to enter the home first. It was reported that Ludvick was found passed out, and no one was injured.

Ludvick was arraigned Tuesday on four charges, including felony assault and misconduct involving a weapon.

Ludvick has several past convictions, including the felony assault from the shooting incident in December 2009. According to the charging document from that case, Ludvick fired his rifle towards three companions during an argument following a hunting trip. One round hit one of the men in the abdomen. He survived, and though Ludvick initially faced three counts of attempted murder, the state settled with a plea to second degree assault.

At his arraignment Tuesday, the prosecutor indicated that most of Ludvick's criminal history, including the new charges, stem from alcohol abuse.

The 29-year-old was ordered held on $5,000 bail and will need a third party custodian to be released.

Reach the author at dave@kdlg.org or 907-842-5281.