Police seek passenger, 3rd vehicle in fatal Merrill Field car crash

Anchorage police are seeking a passenger from the fatal crash of a sedan near Merrill Field this month on manslaughter charges, as well as whoever was in the truck that was pursuing the car before it crashed.

Anchorage Police Department spokesperson Jennifer Castro said in a Thursday statement a $75,000 arrest warrant has been issued for 19-year-old Kuach C. Kuach, in Chaduer Chuol's Aug. 5 death in the East Fifth Avenue collision.

Chuol, also 19, was driving west on East Fifth at about 3 a.m., when his Honda Accord crossed into the eastbound lanes and collided head-on with a black pickup, whose driver was unhurt.

Kuach, who survived the wreck in the Honda, was found with a gunshot wound to his arm; Chuol was ejected from the vehicle by the collision. Both were taken to a local hospital, where Chuol was pronounced dead.

Upon investigation, police found a number of bullet holes in the Accord, as well as "holes indicting shots had been fired from inside the vehicle." Further investigation led police to seek a second pickup not involved in the collision itself.

"Additional evidence found that a dark-colored pickup truck had been chasing the Honda at a high rate of speed westbound on East 5th Avenue prior to the collision," Castro wrote. "Anyone with additional information on this vehicle and who may have been involved in the shooting is asked to contact police."

Castro said in emails Thursday that the pursuing pickup truck, which was spotted in surveillance video, was last seen heading west on East Fifth. She said someone in the Accord — occupied only by Chuol and Kuach, to the best of investigators' knowledge — was apparently exchanging gunfire with the pursuing truck.

"Evidence we have suggests that the Honda was involved in a shootout with the dark-colored pickup truck," Castro wrote. "We do not know why the shootout occurred."

No gunshot wounds were found on Chuol during an autopsy, Castro said. Police spoke with but didn't arrest Kuach during the time he was in the hospital following the crash.

"Detectives conducted some initial interviews with (Kuach)," Castro wrote. "They have now charged him in their investigation."

Castro said the manslaughter charge against Kuach is based on his alleged activity before the crash. She confirmed police believe a two-way exchange of gunfire occurred between the pursuing pickup and the Accord, but stopped short of saying whether Kuach, Chuol or both had been firing from the Accord.

"(I)f you are involved in reckless activity that ultimately leads to the death of someone else, you can be criminally charged in their death," Castro wrote.

Anyone with information on Kuach's whereabouts should call police at 907-786-8900 or Crime Stoppers at 561-STOP.