At 12:35 early Wednesday morning, a call went in to AST reporting a REDDI driver. The vehicle was described as a white Pontiac Grand Am on the Sterling Highway. Pursuit and apprehension of the suspect driver would take up the next seven hours.

A responding trooper observed the reported 2000 Pontiac Grand Am as it passed him at mile 62.5 of the Sterling Highway. The trooper turned around and followed the vehicle as it drove erratically on the highway, and attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle.

The Grand Am continued to travel erratically as it headed southbound on the Sterling, crossing the centerline, slowing then speeding to speeds of 100 mph, and forcing on-coming traffic off the road.

The first of several unsuccessful attempts at stopping the vehicle with spike strips was set at mile 83 of the Sterling, but the Grand Am continued on to Soldotna at mile 93 and turned on to Funny River Road. The vehicle traveled approximately a half mile down the road before stopping and making a sharp turn that resulted in the vehicle leaving the road and hitting a large Spruce tree there, knocking it down.

With the vehicle no longer usable, the driver, a white male, and a passenger, observed to be a white female, exited the vehicle from the driver’s side door and fled into the woods.

A K-9 Unit was called in and a search was initiated, but was also ultimately unsuccessful.

A search warrant for the vehicle was applied for and granted. Anchorage Police notified the AST that a vehicle matching the description of the Grand Am that had the same license plate number had been called in earlier, but, they had been unable to locate the vehicle.

After serving the search warrant on the vehicle, troopers were able to tentatively identify the driver as 28-year-old Bryson Mceneaney of Anchorage.

At 7:45 am, another call went in to the Soldotna Police Department reporting that a credit card was being used and the caller did not believe that it belonged to the man using it. Soldotna Police were able to identify the man using the card as Mceneaney. Troopers responded to the scene, and they and Soldotna Police were able to take Mceneaney into custody.

After the arrest, troopers would find that after the crash of the Grand Am, Mceneaney had stolen a Ford Escape with Colorado plates, shoes, and a credit card from a residence in Soldotna. The owner was contacted and it was confirmed that the vehicle and other items had been stolen.

Mceneaney was transported to the Wildwood Pretrial Facility where he was remanded and charged with Eluding I, Assault III on an Officer, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangerment, False Information, Vehicle Theft I, Burglary I, and an outstanding warrant. He was remanded without bail.

Soldotna Police and Alaska State Troopers are continuing the investigation into the Mceneaney case. Alaska State Troopers are asking that anyone that may have been affected by Mceneaney’s driving or has first hand information on Mceneaney or the female passenger, to contact them at the Soldotna Post or by phone at 907-260-4453.

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