Pit Maneuver Ends Pursuit after Multiple Agencies Chase Drunk Driver from JBER to Wasilla Saturday


An attempt by Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson policeto pull over a speeding motorist would turn into a high-speed chase down the Glenn Highway all the way to Wasilla on Saturday afternoon, Alaska State Troopers revealed.

According to the AST report on the agency’s dispatch, JBER police attempted a traffic stop at 2:36 pm on Saturday, but the driver elected to instead speed off northbound on the Glenn. The police requested assistance from troopers who, in turn, laid down spike strips at mile 32 of the highway. The strips deflated the vehicle’s two front tires, but the driver continued down the highway at a high rate of speed crossing all lanes of travel and almost colliding with several vehicles.

Troopers and Wasilla police would successfully spike the vehicle several more times but it did not stop the speeding driver. It was only when troopers a PIT maneuver that the vehicle chase was terminated.

“During the overall incident Hopson nearly collided with several military police officers and almost struck a Wasilla Police Officer with his vehicle,” troopers stated. They also reported that no DPS vehicles were damaged and no one suffered any injuries.

Troopers took the driver, identified as 38-year-old William Hopson of Anchorage, into custody. At that time troopers realized that there was a child in the vehicle.

Hopson was transported to the Mat Su Pretrial Facility in Palmer and remanded there on charges of Failure to Stop at the Direction of a Police Officer I, Assault III-Fear of Serious Injury, DUI, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child I.


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