The search is on for a man last seen driving a stolen Chevrolet Suburban while leading law enforcement on a chase in Wasilla early Thursday morning, according to Alaska State Troopers.

The large sport utility vehicle had its lights off and was in the wrong lane, headed at a trooper in his patrol car near Seldon Road and Winona Street, about 4:30 a.m., a troopers spokeswoman said. The trooper reported flashing his lights and driving onto the shoulder to avoid the Suburban.

The driver didn't submit to a traffic stop moments later, and drove about a half-mile to Aoiki Drive, where the vehicle hit a retention wire to a power pole, knocking out electricity for about 40 customers for several hours, troopers and Matanuska Electric Association said. Heading off-road, the Suburban went through two yards in the neighborhood, crashing through about 20 yards of trees separating two houses, and stopped in another group of trees. The driver ran off, troopers said.

Inside the Suburban, the trooper found a backpack full of cigars and a "gnarled" bat, he reported. The trooper checked with dispatchers to see if, by chance, the nearby Fishhook Food Mart might have an activated burglary alarm, troopers said. They later found that someone had broken out the glass on the store's front door and cigars were missing, troopers said.

The Suburban also turned out to have been stolen sometime the night before and was returned to its owner.

Authorities continue to look for a suspect, a white male adult, likely facing charges of eluding, vehicle theft, burglary and criminal mischief, troopers said.

Reach Casey Grove at casey.grove@adn.com or 257-4589.