Troopers report that they have successfully apprehended a suspected car thief after he bailed out of a moving stolen car on the Mitchell Expressway as he was driving towards North Pole on Thursday afternoon.

A report was called into the Alaska State troopers reporting the theft of a new 2002 Dodge Durango from the Holiday gas station on Giese Road in Fairbanks at 1 PM on Thursday.

A short time later, the stolen vehicle was located by troopers, driving on the Mitchell Expressway. They attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle, but the driver failed to yield, and continued down the expressway, before jumping from the moving vehicle and fleeing into a wooded area. The vehicle continued down the expressway before colliding with two other parked vehicles.

Troopers quickly set up a perimeter, and soon located the suspect, who was identified as 25-year-old Fairbanks resident Brian West. The investigation would find that West was wanted for an outstanding warrant for Vehicle Theft I. West was additionally charged with Vehicle Theft I, Fail to Stop at the Direction of a Peace Officer, Leave the Scene of an Accident for this current incident.

West is scheduled to appear in Fairbanks court for the two cases this morning.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adsense-responsive”]

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