Baffling call leads to arrest of man following accident

WASILLA — There are probably easier ways to call for help, which is why this story from the Wasilla police reports last week is so baffling.

According to the Wasilla Police Department, at 1:35 a.m., Monday, Peder Stadem called police to say his wife, Tonya Stadem, had been hurt in a car crash and she was at their home on Goldendale Drive.

“Mr. Stadem was gone upon police arriving at their residence,” WPD reports. “The Stadem’s vehicle was parked at their residence with recent front-end damage.”

Tonya said she didn’t remember how she’d been injured. Police called Peder who, at this point, denied there was even a crash.

“An investigation did not reveal sufficient evidence of how the vehicle was damaged or who was driving at the time of the damage. Peder Stadem was arrested on an outstanding warrant,” according to the report.

Court records show one open case for Stadem. Prosecutors are trying to revoke his probation on a domestic violence assault case from 2011. As of Friday, afternoon jail records showed Stadem had bailed out.