Impaired driver leads troopers on high-speed chase

BUTTE — A man involved in a weekend high-speed chase was determined to be intoxicated, authorities said.

Alaska State troopers arrested Logan Barrett, 25, of Palmer, Sunday after authorities attempted to stop his white Dodge pickup truck for speeding, according to a sworn affidavit written by Sgt. Brent Johnson.

Johnson wrote that he initially spotted the truck at about noon driving 73 miles per hour in a 35 mile-per-hour zone on Maud Road. When Johnson turned on his lights and sirens, Barrett sped up to 90 mph and attempted to outrun troopers.

“During the attempt to elude, the vehicle failed to stop at several stop signs, failed to signal turns, and drove in both lanes of traffic, creating a substantial risk to other motorists,” Johnson wrote.

Authorities briefly lost sight of Barrett’s truck and discontinued the chase. Then a 911 call alerted authorities to the truck on Witherspoon Road. The chase resumed about 12:30 p.m., Aug. 24 and Barrett tried again to outrun pursuing troopers at speeds of 90 mph, according to the affidavit.

The vehicle eventual returned to Maud Road, where it struck a cottonwood tree, and was severely damaged. Barrett sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the wreck.

An alcohol breath test administered about three hours after the chase found a breath alcohol content of .142 percent. The legal Alaska limit is .08 percent breath alcohol content.

Barrett faces charges of failing to stop at the direction of a law enforcement officer, driving under the influence, and reckless driving.

Authorities transported Barrett to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center for treatment and then to the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility, where he remained Wednesday afternoon on a $10,000 cash and corporate bond, with a court-appointed third-party requirement.