Press Release

Man Convicted of Multiple Assaults, Felon in Possession of Firearm

June 18, 2018

(Anchorage, AK) – Anchorage District Attorney Rick Allen announced today that an Anchorage jury found 32 year-old David John Graf, Jr. guilty of Assault in the Fourth Degree, Failure to Stop at the Direction of a Peace Officer, Reckless Driving, Assault in the Third Degree, Unlawful Contact, and Misconduct Involving Weapons in the Third Degree.

The evidence presented at trial established that on August 30, 2017 Mr. Graf threatened several times to shoot his girlfriend while they picked up her kids from school. The victim saw Mr. Graf gesture to a gun through his shirt that he kept in his waistband. The victim asked school officials to call the police and Mr. Graf left the scene with the victim’s car, keys, and phone. An arrest warrant was issued later that day.

On August 31, 2017, Anchorage Police officers attempted to apprehend Mr. Graf at the victim’s friend’s house where the victim and her family were staying. Just before officers arrived, Mr. Graf was at the residence trying to get the victim into the car with him. She refused, and the victim’s friend called 911. The victim’s friend went outside to speak to Mr. Graf and sat in the back of car with the passenger door open. When officers from the patrol unit arrived, Mr. Graf fled in the vehicle with the victim’s friend still inside and the back passenger door still open. Officers activated emergency lights but Mr. Graf kept driving, reaching speeds of 40 -45 mph in a residential area, driving through the yard of another residence, then driving into a marsh where his car got stuck. Mr. Graf started to run on foot but was apprehended by canine unit Bravo. At arraignment, Mr. Graf was ordered by the Anchorage District Court not to contact the victim during the pendency of the case, but Mr. Graf contacted the victim several times from jail.

Superior Court Judge Michael Corey, who presided over the case, scheduled sentencing for October 15, 2018. Mr. Graf, a three-time felon, faces up to 17 years in prison. Under the sentencing law, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Officers Justin Hernandez, Marcos Weinrick, Derek Detherow, K9 Officer Nathan Keays, K9 Bravo, and others with the Anchorage Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of David John Graf, Jr.

CONTACT: Assistant District Attorney Michael Ebell or Assistant District Attorney Anna Cometa at (907) 269-6300 or michael.ebell@alaska.gov or anna.cometa@alaska.gov. More information about the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office is available at http://www.law.alaska.gov/department/criminal/adao.html.

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.