After two car chases interrupted by a search in Wasilla Wasilla police and Alaska State Troopers took a convicted car thief in custody on multiple charges that included an additional two counts of vehicle theft late Monday night.

At 10:43 pm on Monday night AST observed a red Subaru Forester near the Parks Highway/Pittman Road that matched the description of a stolen vehicle that was spotted earlier in the evening at that location. Troopers immediately attempted a traffic stop which the suspect driver ignored.

With lights and sirens, troopers gave chase on the stolen vehicle for approximately ten minutes along the Parks Highway and sideroads. As the vehicle came to a stop, two passengers got out of the vehicle, followed by the driver who fled on foot near Sam Snead Loop and Arnold Palmer Street.

Pursing troopers tracked the suspect’s footprints through the snow as Wasilla police responded with multiple additional units including K9 “Echo.” Officers tracked the suspect, later identified as 28-year-old Eric Thomas, across the Parks Highway to a pizza delivery business on McCallister Drive.

Soon, Wasilla police notified troopers that a vehicle had just driven off from the search location. Troopers followed the pizza delivery vehicle as it sped off northbound down the Parks Highway. Soon, as the vehicle drove recklessly down the highway, it would crash into the ditch on Scatter’s Way. 

Troopers, along with Wasilla’s K9 “Echo” gave chase as Thomas again fled on foot, and soon took him into custody a short distance away.

Once taken into custody, Thomas’s identity was verified and troopers would find that Thomas was the subject of a $20,000 warrant for probation violations in connection with a previous vehicle theft conviction.

Thomas was charged with Vehicle Theft I, Vehicle Theft by Receiving, Eluding x2, Reckless Endangerment x2, and the $20,000 arrest warrant. Officers would search the stolen Subaru and turn up a firearm near the driver’s seat and so the additional charge of Misconduct Involving Weapons was added.

Thomas was transported to and remanded at the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility.

  Anchorage, arrest, car, chase, eric thomas, theft, vehicle, warrant, wasilla, weapons