Nikiski Burglary/Vehicle Theft Suspect Apprehended after Chase and 4.5 Hour Search

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A Nikiski man was apprehended and charged with eight counts following a chase and search after troopers were notified of a burglary in progress at a Nikiski residence on Thursday morning, AST reported.

Troopers responded to a residence on Two Junes Avenue in Nikiski after receiving a report of a burglary taking place at that address at 2:29 am on Thursday morning. A search of the area would locate the suspect, later identified as 23-year-old Dakoda Neely, in an RV on an adjacent property.

Neely, in response, started the RV and fled the scene, almost hitting a patrol vehicle as he did so. Troopers would initiate a search for the purloined vehicle and would locate it two and a half hours later, wrecked and abandoned on Cabin Lake Drive.

The search for Neely continued and a short time later, he was located on Commerce Drive, also in Nikiski. When spotted, Neely fled into the woods. As a result, K9 “Donna” was dispatched along with a trooper to track Neely.


At 6:52, troopers were notified that Neely was asleep in a trailer at McGrady Court. Troopers responded and took Neely into custody. He was charged with Burglary I, Assault III on a Peace Officer, Vehicle Theft I, Reckless Driving, two counts of Criminal Trespass I, Criminal Mischief IV, and Leaving the Scene of a Collision.

One trooper suffered a non-life-threatening injury in a fall during the incident and was taken to the Central Peninsula Hospital for treatment.

Neely was transported to Kenai and remanded to the Wildwood Pretrial Facility without bail.