On Friday evening Anchorage police were alerted to a robbery at the Carrs Liquor Store on Gambell and responded to the scene.

The investigation at the store would find that a man, later identified as 39-year-old Rhahemiah N. McNair, took alcohol from the shelf and then pushed away an employee as he dashed from the store.

Once outside the store, McNair spotted a black 2015 Kia Sedona van unlocked and running in the parking lot and ran to it and got in. There was a person in the passenger seat and McNair ordered the person out, that person immediately complied and the suspect sped off out of the parking lot.

The responding officers put out a locate for the vehicle. Also, they provided a description of the suspect to other officers on the radio as they searched the area for the KIA.

50 minutes later, at 7:38 pm, A caller reported a collision at the Noblewood Street and West Dimond Boulevard intersection. One of the callers also provided the vehicle make and license plate number.

At the scene it was reported, a man fitting McNair’s description was driving the stolen KIA when he, on Noblewood, ran a stop sign on Dimond and crashed into a 2019 Dodge Durango driving westbound. The KIA spun out and collided with a white 2005 GMC also traveling westbound through the intersection.

Officers spoke to witnesses as others began searching for McNair. One witness reported that the suspect had hopped the fence at a residence on Ashley Circle. Officers responded to that location and found McNair lying in the snow next to the fence. He was taken into custody.

McNair would be confirmed as the suspect in the liquor store robbery, the vehicle theft, and the Dimond intersection crashes. He was charged with “Assault III, Resisting, Theft IV, two counts of Robbery II, Assault III, Vehicle Theft I, Theft II, and Leaving the Scene of an Injury Collision,” APD revealed. In addition, McNair was cited for Careless Driving and Failure to Obey Stop Sign. 

The suspect was transported to the Anchorage Jail where he was remanded on the charges.

The driver of the Durango was transported to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries and also cited for no valid operating license. The driver of the GMC suffered minor injuries and was not transported.

  Alaska, Anchorage, carrs, crime, gambell, robbery, theft