Early Saturday morning at 1:23 am, Alaska State Troopers with the Bureau of Highway Patrol stopped a 1992 Chevy 1500 pickup truck on the Seward Meridian Parkway at Spruce Drive.

The vehicle was stopped by the troopers for speeding and running a solid red light. As the trooper went up to the vehicle and began talking to the driver, who was later identified as 22-year-old Wasilla resident William R. Welsh II, the trooper saw that Welsh was showing signs of being intoxicated. As the troopers was talking to Welsh, Welsh put the vehicle in gear, and spun out, racing away from the trooper. The trooper jumped back to avoid injury, then sprung into pursuit in his vehicle.

Welsh raced down the road, at times driving in the wrong lane. Welsh turned onto Ruth Road and continued to elude the officer. While still traveling at high speed on Ruth Road, Welsh encountered a curve in the road. He was unable to negotiate the curve and left the roadway crashing into a tree and a large boulder. The pickup ended up on its side with significant damage.

When the trooper went to the vehicle, he found that Welsh had sustained serious injuries. The Central Mat-Su Fire Department and EMS was called and they responded to the scene. Welsh was transported to the Mat-Su Regional Hospital for serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Welsh had a revoked driver’s license in connection to a previous DUI and further was required to have an ignition interlock device on any vehicle he operated.

The investigation into the incident is continuing and charges will be forwarded at a later date.

Troopers report that alcohol was a factor in this case.