Alaska State Troopers and members of a Special Emergency Response Team searched area near Delta Junction Wednesday and again today for a 19-year-old Fairbanks man who eluded capture Tuesday in Anchorage after a high-speed chase that ended when he wrecked his vehicle.Troopers issued an alert Wednesday afternoon asking the public to be on the lookout for Tyler Smith. He’s described as a white male with brown hair, last seen wearing a tan-colored coat and white shirt in an area near Hanson Road east of Delta.
The Delta Wind newspaper said in a story posted Wednesday afternoon that Troopers reportedly had detained several people while searching the area east of Delta for Smith.
Troopers tried to arrest Smith on Tuesday in Wasilla on several outstanding felony warrants. But he escaped by speeding away in a vehicle he was driving, dragging a Wasilla Police officer for a few feet as he was accelerating away from the scene. A Trooper report says no major injuries were sustained.
The report says Smith led police on a high-speed chase into Anchorage before wrecking the vehicle after it ran over a spike strip that flattened its tires. But he ran from the scene and eluded capture.
In addition to the felony warrants, Troopers say Smith will now be charged with several felonies, including eluding arrest and two counts of assaulting a police officer.
Troopers say anyone who sees Smith should call 911 and report the sighting.
