On Saturday, Alaska State Troopers received a REDDI report on a black 1995 GMC pickup parked at the end of East Tambert Drive in Wasilla. Troopers traveled to the location where the vehicle was last reported, and observed the vehicle, as well as a purple Chevy Blazer that was parked directly next to it.

The responding trooper activated his overhead emergency lights and approached the two parked vehicles and observed two people in the Blazer with what appeared to be prescription pill bottles in their hands, the trooper dispatch reports.

The driver of the Blazer, later identified as Michael Thompson, refused to identify himself and drove away from the scene, while the passenger in the vehicle stayed behind. The troopers re-acquired Thompson at the intersection of Seldon and Tait Drive. Thompson continued to drive, running the stop sign at Seldon and Bogard Road, then continued  on Bogard Road before turning on Trunk Road.

Troopers tried three times to stop the vehicle with spike strips but were unsuccessful in doing so. It wasn’t until mile 27 of the Glenn Highway that Anchorage Police were able to set spike strips and deflate Thompson’s front left tire. But, the deflated tire did not stop Thompson, and he continued to drive the Blazer until the tire shredded off of the wheel, then continued to drive on the bare wheel.

At mile 21 of the Glenn Highway, Anchorage police successfully deployed another spike strip that shredded the front passenger tire, but even this did not deter Thompson, who continued to drive until all of his tires shredded, and he lost control of the vehicle. When he did so, Thompson spun out of control, ending up in the meridian, where his vehicle came to a rest.

After his 20-minute run from the law, Thompson gave up and was arrested without further incident. Court records show that he was charged with Failure to Stop at the Direction of an Officer, which is a class C Felony, Reckless Driving and Driving with License Suspended.

The driver of the GMC pickup, the original subject of the REDDI report, who remained behind prior to the 20-minute pursuit, was determined not to be impaired by troopers.

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