One DUI driver was taken into custody early in the morning on Wednesday after a high-speed vehicle chase, foot-chase and taser incidents near Eagle River.

Police Dispatch was notified at 2:33 am on Wednesday morning that there was a possible drunk driver traveling northbound on the Glenn Highway traveling towards the South Eagle River exit. “Following the dispatcher’s instructions, the caller followed the Ranger from a safe distance and provided location updates,” APD reports.

Responding officers traveled to the location and soon had the offending Ford Ranger pickup in view as it exited the South Eagle River offramp. An officer followed the vehicle for a short while, watching as the operator drifted out of his lane multiple times.

The officer activated his lights and the driver, later identified as 40-year-old Kenneth G. Stepetin, “swerved to the right, ran up on the curb, and then pulled back onto the roadway before turning into a business parking lot at Monte Road and the Old Glenn Highway,” it was reported.

With the suspect vehicle stopped, the officer exited his vehicle to make contact, but Stepetin sped away as the officer was approaching the vehicle.

Stepetin took the officer on a high-speed chase for a distance, but was unable to maintain control and lost control as he braked hard to negotiate a turn on Schroeder and left the roadway crashing into a power box before getting stuck in a snowbank.

Officers positioned their patrol vehicles around the Ford to prevent escape and Stepetin exited the Ford and raced away on foot with officers chasing him on foot. When a pursuing officer caught up to Stepetin, Stepetin pushed him away and continued to flee. Multiple taser warnings were issued before deployment. But, the tasers were ineffective due to Stepetin’s layers of clothing. But, the taser did have an effect in stopping Stepetin as the wires tangled around his legs causing him to fall. 

He was placed under arrest, resisting as he was handcuffed, but was transported to the Anchorage Jail without further incident.

At the jail it was found that Stepetin was three times over the limit.

He was remanded on charges of Fail to Stop, Operating under the Influence, Resisting, and Leaving the Scene of an Accident.

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