Troopers Arrest Suspect in Ester Armed Assault

rural trooperMonday, after receiving information that the suspect in the Saturday Ester Cabin incident was at a Fairbanks residence, troopers responded to the  residence and arrested 35-year-old Jerome Phillips Jr for the armed assault and a no bail warrant for felony probation violations.

It was at 9:40 pm that troopers responded to a call made from the 12-cabin complex by a resident there that reported that the man, now identified as Phillips, had fired a shot at him.

When troopers arrived at the scene, the victim was at another cabin. During the interview the victim told troopers that the man had fired a handgun at him as he was running for the exit after asking him if he was a cop.

According to the victim, Phillips had also followed the victim to another cabin that the victim had fled to. He had tried to gain entry, but was refused.

This was not the first incident at the complex residents there say. Two days earlier, Phillips had taken a shot at a passing pickup truck after exiting the complex’s bathhouse.

When troopers investigated the victim’s cabin, they found evidence of the weapon discharge. During their investigation they found where the bullet entered a cabinet and exited through the cabin wall.

The investigation into the fire at the cabin where Phillips was staying is still under investigation. That fire occurred shortly after troopers concluded their on-scene investigation and had left the area.

Court records show that Phillips was charged with two counts of Assault III and three counts of Weapons Misconduct III. He is also being held on a no-bail warrant for felony probation violation for the original charges of Assault III and Interfering with the Report of a DV Crime occurring in 2012.

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Phillips was arraigned on Tuesday, his next court date is on December 12.