Palmer teen hits police officer with car

PALMER -- A 19-year-old Palmer man was arrested this week after he repeatedly drove toward a police officer who was on foot and struck him once with the car, according to court documents. The officer was not seriously injured.

The incident began at 2:48 a.m. Tuesday when Palmer police officer Shayne La Croix noticed a vehicle going 72 mph in a 45-mph zone at the intersection of the Old Glenn Highway and Airport Road, La Croix said in a report.

He turned on the patrol car's lights and siren, but the car increased its speed, the report said. La Croix said he followed the vehicle until it stopped on a lawn at 15100 Robin Lane. La Croix said he noticed two teen-age males in the front seat.

"The driver made several attempts to remove the vehicle, going back and forth, and drove towards me several times, striking me once," La Croix wrote. "I made several verbal commands to the driver to stop the car and he failed to do so."

The car tore up the lawn and ran over several trees, causing more than $500 damage, La Croix said. When he confronted driver Vincent T. Price, La Croix said, Price had a "strong odor" of alcohol on his breath.

Price was lodged in Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility on $2,600 bail. He was charged with driving while under the influence, minor consuming alcohol, failure to stop at the direction of a peace officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless endangering and minor operating a vehicle after consuming alcohol, according to a Palmer Police Department press release.

The charges of failure to stop and criminal mischief are class C felonies. Each is punishable by up to five years in jail and a fine of $50,000.

On Wednesday, Price appeared in District Court for a bail hearing. Magistrate David Zwink agreed to release the defendant to the custody of friend Bradley W. Smith, 24, of Palmer, and Price's mother, Donna Price of Palmer. One of the two custodians is to be with Price at all times, and they must see that he attends all court hearings, Zwink noted.

The judge also granted the public defender's office request that bail be reduced to $1,500, with Zwink allowing cash or corporate posting. He also required that Price not consume alcohol, not drive, and not leave the state.

Price has no prior convictions.

Zwink emphasized that Price's custodians would face jail time and a fine if he fled and they did not report his absence immediately.

"You are giving him a chance to start at the beginning to right the wrong he has done," Donna Price told the judge. "I won't cut him any slack."