Trooper traffic stop yields illicit haul

December 6, 2005

MARY AMES\Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - Two men who allegedly filled a basket with steaks, shrimp and scallops before leaving Steve's Food Boy in Big Lake without paying on Sunday were arraigned Monday on several other charges, according to Alaska State Troopers.

A chain reaction of events took Shaun Stewart, 32, of Anchorage, and David Beaty, 27, of Big Lake, from a simple charge of shoplifting to a Class C felony, Trooper Rick Pawlak said Monday.

Stewart and Beaty were reported to have left the store in a gray Chevrolet S-10 pickup, heading toward the post office. Pawlak said he was close by, so he headed out, finding the truck as it pulled out of the Big Lake Tesoro and drove for about a quarter-mile with a turn signal on.

When he stopped the truck, Stewart told the trooper he didn't have a driver's license, but gave a name, date of birth, place of birth and where his license was suspended, Pawlak said. Stewart also told him he hadn't been at Steve's Food Boy.

Just when Pawlak thought he would issue the driver a summons for driving with a suspended license, Beaty walked up to the car carrying a gas can, according to troopers.

&#8220I don't know what he was thinking,” Pawlak said.

Stewart and Beaty had run out of gas less than four miles from the Parks Highway, he said, each going separately to find some fuel.

After getting permission to search the vehicle, Pawlak found a basket of food along with syringes and bent, blackened spoons, he said. One of the spoons had about a quarter-sized white substance on it that field tested positive for cocaine, he said, and the trooper placed both men under arrest.

At Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility, Pawlak discovered that Stewart had given him a false name and was wanted on a $5,000 warrant for violating conditions of release on previous charges, he said.

Both men are charged with fourth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance and third-degree theft, according to court records. Stewart faces additional charges of making a false report and driving without a license.

After taking photographs of the loot, Pawlak returned the steaks, scallops and shrimp to the store. They were still fresh, he said.

Contact Mary Ames at

352-2284 or mary.ames@

frontiersman.com.