Anchorage Suspect Injures Patrol Officer with Door While Fleeing Traffic Stop

On last Wednesday morning patrol officers initiated a traffic stop on a white 2016 Chevy Malibu at the intersection of East 40th and Denali Street. A records check would determine that the vehicle was registered to 24-year-old Thomas D. G. Ponsolle, who is on probation for multiple violent felonies.

Ponsolle pulled into a parking lot on the 36-block of Denali Street and as the officers approached the vehicle, verified that Ponsolle was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle.

One officer went to the driver’s side of the vehicle while the other officer went to the passenger’s side. The officer on the driver’s side made contact, identified himself, and explained why Ponsolle was being pulled over. Ponsolle was then asked to step out of the vehicle for a pat-down pursuant to his probation conditions.

Ponsolle, with the driver’s side door open rather than exiting the vehicle, quickly put the vehicle in reverse, hitting the officer with the door. The suspect continued in reverse until he struck the patrol vehicle. He then put his vehicle in drive and sped out of the parking lot.

As Ponsolle sped away down Barrow Street, he ran two stop signs. A search for Ponsolle would come up empty-handed and a felony warrant was requested and issued for Fail to Stop, two counts of Assault III, Reckless Driving, and Violate Conditions of Release.

At 7:57 AM on Saturday, a day shift patrol officer saw the Chevy parked in a lot of the 5300 block of Juneau Street and called for backup. While waiting for backup, the officer watched as Ponsolle got out of his vehicle and climbed into a different Chevy Malibu occupied by two females.