Pursuit ends abruptly for Valley man

WASILLA — A 20-year-old’s run from the law ended when he rear-ended an SUV last week.

According to a press statement from Alaska State Troopers, officers first spotted the black Chevy sedan on Knik-Goose Bay Road near Sunset Avenue shortly before 2:30 p.m., Feb. 24.

Troopers tried to pull the car over for a moving violation, but “the Chevrolet accelerated at a high rate of speed, continuing to pass cars in the opposite lane of travel,” according to the press statement.

Officers finally caught up to the car on Wassim Circle. Trooprs say the driver was Chance D.J. Gypin, 20, of Wasilla and that he didn’t stop until after he rear-ended a Ford Explorer driven by William H. Lawler, 66, of Wasilla.

Gypin was jailed at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility on $10,000 bail, charged with eluding arrest, reckless driving and driving on a revoked license. Jail records as of Thursday evening showed he was still there.

—Andrew Wellner

Arrest will send New Yorker back to East Coast

WASILLA — Pursuit of a reckless driver ended in a ditch on Vine Road with the driver probably headed back to New York to face charges there, Alaska State Troopers report.

According to a trooper press statement, at 10:31 p.m. Monday troopers tried to pull over a black 2001 Dodge for a moving violation.

“The vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed and drove recklessly until it became stuck in the ditch,” troopers report.

The driver, Gerald Race, 44, of Wasilla, was jailed on charges of DUI, eluding arrest, reckless driving, driving on a revoked license and having the wrong license plates on his vehicle. Since this was his third DUI arrest in 10 years, this one is a felony.

Troopers say his name turned up in criminal databases as wanted out of New York on an extraditable warrant for a parole violation. He was jailed at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility on $10,000 bail. Jail records Thursday evening showed he was still there.