An Anchorage Police Department officer was struck by another officer's vehicle Saturday night while investigating a report of shoplifting at a Fred Mayer in South Anchorage. Anchorage police said the officer's leg was broken in the incident, and two people were taken into custody following a brief pursuit.
According to a statement from APD spokeswoman Anita Shell, officers Aaron Hostetter and Gary Curtis were called to the Fred Meyer store located at 2000 W. Dimond Blvd. shortly before 9 p.m. to investigate the report of shoplifting, called in by the store's loss prevention department. According to police, 30-year-old Angela Marie Jasper was stealing goods inside the store while a man, identified as 37-year-old Douglass Doggett, was waiting outside in a black Saturn sedan.
When Hostetter and Curtis arrived, Hostetter pulled in front of the Saturn and got out to contact Doggett.
"The driver backed up and surged forward in an attempt to escape being blocked in," Shell wrote in the statement. "Officer Curtis moved to position his vehicle to prevent the suspect from leaving, and, in doing so, struck Officer Hostetter with his patrol car."
Police said Doggett then sped off through the parking lot and ran a red light at the intersection of Dimond and Angela Place, striking a vehicle driven by an Anchorage woman attempting to turn into the grocery store lot. With his vehicle out of commission, Doggett took off on foot and APD began a search, Shell wrote.
"An APD K-9 unit, along with several other patrol officers responded to the scene while police received multiple phone calls from area residents that the suspect was running through yards and jumping fences," Shell wrote. "Officers caught up with Doggett at 10:12 p.m. near Victor (Road) and Minerva (Way) and took him into custody."
Complaining of leg pain, Doggett was taken to an area hospital before being delivered to jail. Doggett was charged with second- and fourth-degree assault, resisting arrest and leaving the scene of an accident. His bail was set at $25,000. Jasper was also taken into custody after leaving the store with stolen goods, and initially resisted arrest, police said. She has been charged with fourth-degree theft and resisting arrest.
Hostetter was treated for a broken leg and released from the hospital overnight. The driver and passenger in the vehicle that collided with Doggett's complained of some arm and leg pain but declined treatment, police said.
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