A 38-year-old man with a lengthy Alaska rap sheet has been charged with multiple felonies after drunkenly eluding an Anchorage officer in a stolen truck on Wednesday morning, according to charging documents.
Willie Benjamin Wilson faces 14 charges, including third-degree assault, failing to stop at the direction of an officer, theft, vehicle theft, criminal mischief, drunk driving, refusing to submit to a chemical test, driving with a revoked license and providing false information.
According to information filed by Assistant District Attorney Katholyn Runnels, the charges started piling up against Wilson shortly after 1 a.m. on Wednesday. That's when Anchorage police officer David Noll spotted a flatbed truck driving under the speed limit on the Glenn Highway, the charges say.
Noll tried to stop the truck, which nearly came to a halt before accelerating and swerving back onto the highway, the charges say.
The chase apparently continued off the highway. Near Mirror Lake Park, the truck went out of control and spun 180 degrees until it faced the officer's vehicle. "The driver drove at Officer Noll" before trying to veer around the patrol vehicle, the charges say. Instead, Wilson allegedly rammed into the patrol car, pushing the officer's vehicle out of the way.
The vehicle collided once more when Noll was trying to prevent Wilson from getting back onto the highway, the charges say. The truck turned toward the patrol vehicle, then drove up and over its front passenger corner, "bouncing in the air" as it went over Noll's cruiser.
Another officer joined Noll in the chase, which continued onto multiple roads. They eventually trapped Wilson in a parking lot in south Eagle River, the charges say. Wilson allegedly attempted to ram his way out but Noll's patrol vehicle had him pinned.
Wilson exited the vehicle at the other pursuing officer's verbal commands, but not before taking a drink.
"The male refused to participate in standardized field sobriety tests, but (the) officer saw a half- to third-empty bottle of Monarch vodka in the truck," the charges say. "Officers reported seeing the male drinking out of the bottle before the driver got out."
Wilson told police his name was "Northstar," the charges say. With Wilson in custody, police learned the truck Wilson had been driving had recently been stolen from an unidentified business.
Wilson's bail was set at $20,000 cash and a third-party custodian.
According to the charges, Wilson has more than two dozen past convictions, which include charges of escape, resisting arrest and assault.