Alaska State Troopers over the weekend made two separate arrests of suspected drunken drivers from Big Lake who attracted enough attention that someone called 911.
Troopers say they arrested 33-year-old Melissa J. Schachle on charges of driving under the influence Sunday afternoon while her 2-year-old was in the vehicle. Someone reported her as a possibly impaired driver, they said.
Schachle was also charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor following the traffic stop around 5 p.m. near Mile 54 of the Parks Highway, troopers said in an online release posted late Sunday. She was jailed at Mat-Su Pretrial Facility on $1,000 bail. A passenger was also arrested for violating probation.
In a separate arrest Saturday, troopers responded to a 5:15 a.m. call describing a white Ford F-150 pickup crashing into the medians and weaving on Palmer-Wasilla Highway near the Parks Highway intersection, according to a release posted Sunday. They arrested 42-year-old Raymond P. Pendergast Jr. for driving under the influence and refusal to submit to a chemical test because he wouldn't provide a breath sample, troopers said. Pendergast was jailed at Mat-Su Pretrial Facility on $10,000 bail plus court-approved third-party custodian.
Reach Zaz Hollander at zhollander@adn.com or 257-4317.
By ZAZ HOLLANDER