Odd arrests keep troopers busy during holiday weekend

MAT-SU — A slew of boating tickets, a woman who chose to use a stolen flag as clothing, despite it not quite covering her body, and a handful of drunken drivers were the result of stepped up Alaska State Trooper patrols over the long Fourth of July weekend.

Starting with the flag: troopers were called to a business at Parks Highway and Pittman Road at 6 p.m. July 4 for a report that a woman had stolen a flag from the business and was walking along the highway.

“AST contacted the female, identified as Katina Olmstead, 36 of Eagle River, on the Parks Highway near Museum Drive. Olmstead was wearing the American flag as clothing and exposed herself to AST and passing traffic,” troopers report.

Olmstead was jailed at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility, charged with indecent exposure and theft. As of Monday afternoon she was still lodged there.

Also on the 4th, troopers arrested Earl Ashworth III, after they allegedly watched him park his car in the middle of the street and walk away.

“Ashworth continued to threaten to physically assault Troopers and was arrested for disorderly conduct. Ashworth physically resisted arrest and tried to get his Rottweiler to attack troopers to stop his arrest,” according to a trooper report.

Ashworth was jailed for resisting arrest and disorderly conduct on $1,500 bail and ordered to find a third party to watch him before he could be released from the Mat-SU Pre-Trial Facility. As of Monday, he had made bail and been released.

Just after midnight Saturday morning, troopers, with help from rangers with the Alaska State Parks system, went to the Willow Creek Campground, where they were told a drunk man was creating a disturbance. That man, troopers say, was Samuel Palmer, 35, of Wasilla. Troopers told him to settle down, and they left. But a half hour later they got a call he’d driven away from the scene. They pulled him over and arrested him for felony drunken driving. He was jailed at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility on $10,000 bail with orders he also find a third party. As of Monday afternoon, he was still there.

At 8:43 p.m. Saturday, Alaska State Troopers say they arrested two women for driving under the influence.

The stop, based on a complaint from the public, happened at Mile 49 Parks Highway.

“Investigation determined Mallory Dahl, 27, of Anchorage was operating a motor vehicle while impaired and under the influence of a controlled substance. Dahl was in possession of methamphetamine and also had her 6-year-old son in the vehicle,” troopers report.

Also in the vehicle was Yvonne Insalaco, 20, of Anchorage, who troopers say had more than an ounce of marijuana on her.

“Troopers made arrangements for a family member to pick up the child. Yvonne Dahl, 59, of Anchorage, responded to pick up the child and was subsequently arrested for DUI,” troopers report.

The child was taken into state custody. Both Dahls were jailed at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility. Bail for Mallory was set at $4,000. For Yvonne it was $500. By Monday afternoon, the elder Dahl had made bail, but the younger remained jailed. Inalasco, meanwhile, was summonsed for marijuana possession.

And, finally, on July 5, troopers were called to rescue a 24-year-old Anchorage man who’d gotten lost in a swampy area near Jim Creek. Dustin Pavy told troopers he was wet, cold and tired. Troopers on ATVs went out to find him.

“While the troopers were responding on the ATVs, another group of ATV riders located Pavy and transported him out to where the troopers were located. Pavy was returned to his vehicle. He was uninjured and declined medical attention,” according to a trooper report.

As for the boating violations; Alaska Wildlife Troopers handed out at least 16 citations for things like not having enough life preservers, not having kids in preservers, or not having boats registered. The tickets were handed out on Big Lake, Finger Lake, Lake Creek, the Deshka River, and the big and little Susitna rivers.

Troopers also handed out fishing tickets at Lake Creek, the Little Susitna River, Willow Creek, Little Willow Creek and Eklutna Tailrace. All told, there were nine tickets listed in trooper reports from the weekend.

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