UPDATE 12:45 P.M. THURSDAY:
Anchorage police identified the two suspects in Wednesday night's police chase and carjacking episode as Clay Millhouse, 28, and William Hopster, 29.
Millhouse was taken into custody near 34th Avenue and Old Seward Highway after a foot chase. He was arrested on two probation violation warrants stemming from prior arrests for robbery and theft, police spokeswoman Dani Myren said in an email.
Hopster, who police said carjacked a vehicle and fled from police, faces charges of robbery, assault, vehicle theft and criminal mischief. He is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail, Myren said. She said additional charges may be pending.
Both men are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday afternoon.
ORIGINAL STORY:
What started out as a report of a South Anchorage burglary Wednesday afternoon escalated into a nearly four-hour-long police chase and carjacking, police said.
The incident started as a 911 call around 2:48 p.m. The caller reported a burglary in progress on the 6100 block of Romania Drive, said Dani Myren, police spokeswoman.
Initial police reports said the person was calling from inside the home and relayed the suspects' license plate number to dispatch. The caller watched as the suspects fled in a pick-up truck, Myren said. Police discovered the truck was stolen and started a search.
Around 5 p.m., police spotted the truck at a Midtown hotel near E. 34th Ave. and Old Seward Highway. The two male suspects bolted from the hotel and police ran after them, she said. Police arrested one of the men in the area, but Myren could not say exactly where.
The other suspect carjacked a vehicle from a man and fled, crashing into a police car and driving on. The officer was not injured, but the cruiser had extensive damage, Myren said.
Police followed the carjacker to Togiak Circle and found the stolen vehicle abandoned and badly damaged. Police and SWAT team members swept E. 48th Ave. between Old Seward Highway and Cordova Street.
Myren said police eventually contacted the suspect over the phone and he told them his location. He was taken into custody by 6:30 p.m.
At 9 p.m. Wednesday, police had not filed any charges and were not identifying the two suspects. There were no reports of injuries, Myren said.
While police said the suspects were potentially armed, no weapons were found at the time of arrests, Myren said.
The investigation is ongoing.
Reach Tegan Hanlon at thanlon@adn.com or 257-4589.
By DEVIN KELLEY and TEGAN HANLON