Anchorage police have named a suspect and his passenger in Wednesday's East Anchorage car chase, both of whom face charges after allegedly leading police to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in a stolen vehicle that crashed through a fence there.
In a Thursday statement, APD spokesperson Anita Shell says the driver, 28-year-old Matthew Isaac Stough, faces a dozen charges in the incident, while his passenger -- 30-year-old Ninilchik woman Sarah Lorraine Urdahl -- has been charged with fifth-degree criminal mischief.
On Wednesday, APD spokesperson Jennifer Castro described the vehicle as a 2006 black Chevrolet pickup truck which had been reported stolen Monday. The stolen truck was spotted by Anchorage police officers driving northbound on Muldoon Road, who began a pursuit.
Luke Schmidt told Channel Two it was his truck that was stolen from his home in Kenai and used in the fence crashing incident.
"I had had two co-workers coming in from Sterling, they live out that way, and they're like we see your vehicle, and I'm like are you sure?" said Schmidt. "It stands out, it's a black Chevy duramax, cammo on the underside, on the rocker panels."
According to APD officials, Stough's stolen vehicle rammed an APD vehicle in the parking lot of the Cash America pawn shop at 14th Street and Gambell Street, at about 3:30 p.m.
"The officer parked his patrol car behind the vehicle, attempting to block it in," Castro wrote Wednesday. "As the officer was standing behind his opened door, the driver in the truck pulled forward and then went in reverse ramming the officer's vehicle pushing the patrol car several feet back. The officer was able to walk backwards as his car was coming at him to avoid injury. The stolen pick-up was able to flee the scene and proceeded southbound on Gambell."
The search continued with an officer reporting the truck headed east on Northern Lights Boulevard near the University of Alaska Anchorage. Police got another break when someone called police to report his wallet stolen from his vehicle at 3:51 p.m. -- and gave the license plate number of the suspects' vehicle, which matched that of the stolen pickup truck.
An officer saw the pickup headed north on Beaver Place five minutes after that call, resuming the chase as it headed north through Muldoon
"The stolen pick-up turned onto Debarr (Road) traveling at a high rate of speed; it drove over a curb and through landscaping to enter the Fred Meyer parking lot and then headed northbound on Muldoon (Road)," Castro wrote Wednesday. "The pick-up ran over a spike strip that was placed at Boundary Avenue and continued northbound on Muldoon."
Police say the tire spikes didn't keep Stough from crossing the Muldoon overpass of the Glenn Highway, where he turned left and reached the Tikahtnu Commons shopping complex -- as well as JBER's Muldoon Gate.
"As the driver approached the JBER gate, he turned into the Tikahtnu Commons parking lot and headed west ramming and breaking through a JBER chain linked fence," Castro wrote. "The vehicle was able to travel approximately 250 feet on base, before the driver hit a stop sign and ran into an embankment at Yount (Avenue) and Provider (Drive). The driver fled on foot and headed toward an RV storage parking lot."
According to Price, Stough managed to get the truck beyond perimeter fencing before abandoning it with Urdahl still inside. Roughly 16 officers were dispatched to the area where a perimeter around the base was set up, with JBER police helping APD apprehend Stough on base.
Shell says Stough apparently received minor wounds during the foot pursuit.
"Prior to being taken to the Anchorage Jail, Stough was treated for injuries he sustained to his back, most likely caused when he crawled under a chain link fence while running away from authorities," Shell wrote Thursday.
Shell says Stough, who had two contempt-of-court warrants on original charges of second-degree theft and fourth-degree criminal mischief, was held at the Anchorage Jail without bail. He faces the following charges in Wednesday's incident, as annotated by APD:
Reckless Driving
Tampering with or Damaging a Vehicle (attempting to obtain entry into two RV's)
Fail to Stop at the Direction of an Officer (eluding)
Reckless Endangerment (passenger in suspect's vehicle)
Assault 3 (assault on an officer)
Resisting Arrest (resisted arrest by JBER Detective)
Criminal Mischief 3 (damage to JBER fence)
Misconduct Involving a Weapon 3 (felon in possession of handgun found in vehicle)
Criminal Mischief 4 (shattered out citizen's vehicle window)
Theft 2 (theft of credit cards from a citizen's vehicle)
Theft 3 (stealing cash from a citizen's vehicle)
Vehicle Theft 1
According to court documents, Stough was convicted in 2007 for theft and DUI.
Urdahl was also booked into the jail, with her bail set at $1,000.
Channel 2's Chris Klint & Adam Pinsker contributed information to this story.
Contact Joshua Staab