Alaska State Troopers said a man who led authorities on a pursuit down the Seward and Sterling highways over the weekend and escaped custody by fleeing into the woods was arrested Wednesday in Wasilla, after the official search for him had been called off.
Andre Morris Tanner, 32, initially sparked a massive search effort when an officer attempted a traffic stop near Kasilof on Saturday morning, but Tanner gave a fake name and sped away, troopers reported in a dispatch. Tanner had a warrant out for his arrest tied to parole violations stemming from original charges of theft, forgery and misconduct involving a controlled substance.
Around Mile 52 of the Seward Highway, troopers deployed spike strips and deflated the tires of Tanner's car. He then fled into the woods on the northbound side of the road, about 15 miles north of the junction with the Sterling Highway, troopers said. The resulting search included the K-9 unit, a helicopter and help from officers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service.
Troopers spokesman Timothy Despain wrote in an email Tuesday that authorities were not actively searching for Tanner, but following up on "any sightings as resources allow."
Such a sighting came at about 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, according to troopers, when officials with the U.S. Marshals Service made contact with Tanner, who was a passenger in a car parked at Knik Goose Bay Road and Fairview Loop in Wasilla.
"Tanner initially failed to comply with commands from law enforcement, but was taken into custody," troopers reported.
Tanner reportedly had an injury to his wrist "prior to his arrest" and marshals administered medical attention before medics arrived and took Tanner to Mat-Su Regional Hospital, troopers said. Upon his release, he was arrested on warrants for the original parole violations, as well as warrants for reckless driving and failure to stop at the direction of a peace officer stemming from Saturday's pursuit. He was taken to the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility.