Man accused of firing gun near Chester Creek trail park, sparking manhunt, told police he threw gun near creek

Update, 8:05 p.m.:

A man accused of firing a gun in a park near Anchorage’s Airport Heights neighborhood Saturday told police he threw the gun into the mud near Chester Creek as he tried to escape arrest, a charging document filed Sunday says.

Timothy Wood, 24, was eventually caught after an hourlong manhunt and arrested on an outstanding warrant for failing to appear on an assault charge. He now faces new felony charges connected to weapons possession and destruction of evidence.

His gun was never found, the charges say.

In February, police asked publicly for help finding Wood, saying he may have information about a homicide case. Police were investigating the death of 36-year-old Steven John in a Midtown apartment and the state medical examiner determined the cause of death to be traumatic injuries on John’s body.

At about 1 p.m. Saturday, someone called police to report that a man had fired off a round at about 1 p.m. in Chester Creek Park near Lake Otis Parkway and East 20th Avenue.

Officers showed up and found Wood in a nearby homeless camp, the charges say. Wood matched a description given to police, the charges say.

Wood had a silver handgun on his hip, according to the charges. He ran away from police, who set up a search perimeter and called in a K-9 team. Officers eventually caught up with him, the charges say.

Wood was covered in wet grass and weeds when he was found, the charges say. He told police that he ran away because he thought he had a warrant and he was a felon, the charges say. Wood was convicted of felony car theft in 2015, according to court records.

Wood also admitted to having the gun and said he had thrown it into the mud near a bend in Chester Creek as he ran from the cops, the charges say. Police looked for the gun but didn’t find it, according to the charges. Police also reported seeing a man with a backpack in the same area, who Wood said he knew.

Wood now faces charges tied to being a felon in possession of a weapon and for tampering with evidence. He was being held in Anchorage jail.

He was scheduled to make his first court appearance Sunday but corrections officials said he had refused to come out before the judge.