A report went in to the Alaska State Troopers reporting a damaged and vandalized vehicle in the ditch on a gravel road behind Tazlina Village on Wednesday, August 21st. Most of the contents had been stripped from the vehicle and it had also sustained damage to the front and rear bumper as well. The investigation at the scene by Glennallen Troopers revealed that it had crashed into the ditch at high speed.

Further investigation and a check of the license plate showed that the vehicle had been listed as stolen out of Anchorage on August 18th by the owner.

Then on Saturday, August 24th, according to Sgt Shane Nicholson of the Glennallen State Trooper post, a call was made to the troopers reporting a disturbance at mile 111 of the Richardson Highway. Troopers responded to the scene and when they arrived at the scene, they contacted the caller, Issac Hofstetter of Tazlina, who was holding a male at gunpoint.

In a statement, 29-year-old Hofstetter told the officers that he had heard a noise outside of his home and so grabbed a gun and went to investigate. Once outside, Hofstetter saw two men in his vehicle. One of the men was in the driver’s side attempting to start the vehicle. When the men saw Hofstetter, they fled the scene on foot and Hofstetter gave chase.

A few hundred yards into the chase, one of the men fell down. Hofstetter caught up to the man and held him at gunpoint until the troopers arrived.

Troopers took custody of the suspect and transported him to the Glennallen trooper post. There, the suspect gave the troopers at the post a false name and date of birth according to Sgt Nicholson. But, during a follow-up interview with the suspect, he admitted that his name was Walter Blackwell, he also revealed that he was from Anchorage and stated his age as 18. An investigation into Blackwell’s criminal past by the troopers would find an extensive criminal history as well as two active warrants for Blackwell in the amount of $500 each.

Through interviews with Blackwell and further investigation, the identities of Blackwell’s accomplices were discovered and 22-year-old Xavier Aquino of Anchorage and a 17-year-old juvenile of Tazlina were arrested.

All three men were charged with vehicle theft I, multiple counts of Criminal Mischief III, and Criminal Trespass.

According to Sgt Nicholson, the men had stolen the vehicle in Anchorage, driven it to Tazlina where they had gotten into an accident and were subsequently stealing another vehicle to return to Anchorage when Blackwell had gotten caught by Hofstetter, the trooper investigation closed in on them, and their scheme unravelled.

The vehicle from Anchorage was a total loss. It was released to the owner.