Man flees from troopers, attempts to ram patrol car

WASILLA — A man in a stolen Chevy Suburban fled from Alaska State Troopers Saturday, at one point attempting to ram a patrol vehicle, troopers report.

According to an AST press statement, the Suburban was reported stolen at 10:27 p.m., June 24 from an address on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway near Mayflower Lane.

The next day, troopers spotted the SUV on the Parks Highway near the access road to the Vienna Woods subdivision.

“During the pursuit, the driver drove recklessly and attempted to ram a state trooper patrol vehicle. Troopers deployed spike strips, disabling the Suburban’s tires,” according to the press release.

Eventually, the Suburban stopped on Hollywood Road near South Hilltop Circle and the driver took off on foot.

Troopers tracked him down and identified him as Edward Pearce Hoeger, 29, of Wasilla. He was jailed at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility on $30,000 bail, charged with vehicle theft, eluding arrest, assault, reckless driving, criminal mischief and driving on a suspended license.

The attempt to ram the trooper was apparently unsuccessful because troopers report there was no damage to any other vehicles and no injuries to anyone involved.

Jail records Thursday morning showed Hoeger was still incarcerated. In order to get out he will need to find a third party to watch over him.

— Andrew Wellner