Déjà vu for troopers as chase leads to crash, arrest

WASILLA - A wild chase into downtown early Sunday morning ended with Alaska State Troopers arresting a 24-year-old man on a litany of charges.

According to a press statement, troopers tried to stop a 2004 Hyundai Sonata on Elsionre Way near Bogard Road just east of Wasilla city limits at 1:09 a.m. But the driver, whom troopers identify as Michael J. Ingersol, 24, of Wasilla, didn't pull over. He did, however, slow down enough to let someone out.

"While Ingersol was fleeing from Troopers he struck a passenger, who had exited the Hyundai, with the front driver side of the Hyundai," according to an Alaska State Troopers report.

Reached via email, AST spokeswoman Megan Peters said it's unclear what happened to that passenger.

"Nothing is known about the person. They left," Peters wrote.

Troopers report the Hyundai then took off "at a high rate of speed."

They caught up with it again as it approached Crusey Street, saw it speeding, but then apparently lost sight of it again.

"They heard the vehicle loose control and crash," the report says. "The Hyundai was located on Bogard Road in front of Wasilla Middle School, unoccupied."

Troopers say Ingersol ran off on foot and they found him "behind a local grocery store."

The only grocery store in the area is the Wasilla Carrs store, the back of which faces the middle school.

Ingersol was arrested for failure to stop for a peace officer, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, driving on a revoked license and marijuana possession.

This apparently wasn't Ingersol's first time running afoul of law enforcement or the first time he's faced those particular charges. Troopers say he was wanted on a warrant for failure to stop for a peace officer, driving on a revoked license and marijuana possession, as well as evidence tampering and making a false report.

Those charges relate to a March 2011 incident in which Ingersol fled when troopers tried to pull him over for "multiple equipment violations" at Copper Creek Drive and Tanana Drive.

"After a short pursuit, the vehicle pulled into a driveway and the driver fled on foot into a residence located nearby," according to an AST press statement from the time.

Troopers arrested him then. Court records show he stopped showing up for hearings in the summer, with a warrant for his arrest issued in July.

In 2009, Ingersol was popped for allegedly having marijuana packaged for delivery in his car. That case was thrown out before he made a court hearing, according to court records.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.