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A Palmer man who allegedly slammed a pickup truck through a gate at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richarson last month, drawing pistol fire from security forces and causing tens of thousands of dollars in damages before leaving through the same gate, was arraigned Tuesday in U.S. District Court.
U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler's office says Kyle S. Hansen, 25, has been charged with assault on a federal officer, destruction of government property and illegally entering a military property.
In a criminal complaint written by Air Force Office of Special Investigations agent Matthew Dallara, investigators say an Air Force patrolman at JBER’s Boniface gate saw Hansen drive through JBER’s Boniface Gate in a blue 1994 GMC Sierra pickup at midnight on Jan. 19.
“The subject vehicle then sped through JBER on Arctic Warrior Drive at speeds up to 60 miles per hour,” Dallara wrote. “The subject vehicle then tried to exit JBER through the closed Government Hill gate.”
As the truck turned around and headed back to the Boniface Gate, it hit a JBER security vehicle driven by Air Force officer William Pehrson, disabling it and causing $8,000 in damage.
Investigators believe Hansen was still driving at nearly 60 mph when it drove toward a roadblock at Arctic Warrior Drive’s intersection with Vandenberg Avenue. Five people were at the roadblock, including Airman 1st Class Julio Camacho.
“While trying to avoid the roadblock, the subject vehicle struck (Camacho's) rifle. This subsequently caused (Camacho's) rifle to strike him in the throat,” Dallara wrote. “After watching the vehicle strike (Camacho), the military police members at the road block opened fire on the subject vehicle, striking it multiple times.”
The Sierra drew additional fire from Air Force patrolman Mark Hager at the Boniface Gate, who had seen the vehicle crash through on its way in, as it departed. About five to 10 vehicles were waiting in the outbound lane at the gate at the time, and the Sierra did from $30,000 to $50,000 in damage to the gate.
Investigators’ first break in the case came at about 12:30 a.m., when the Sierra’s license plate -- 3605DB -- was discovered at the gate. A registration check discovered that it was registered to Shawn McKenna. When Anchorage Police Department officers spoke with McKenna, he said Hansen had asked to have the truck registered in McKenna’s name because Hansen was on probation and “was not allowed to have a vehicle registered to him.”
In further questioning, McKenna told police that he had called Hansen after 11 p.m. on Jan. 18 and asked that Hansen pick him up from the TGI Friday’s restaurant in Midtown near Tudor Road and C Street.
“Hansen was supposed to take McKenna to his (Eagle River residence) with his friend, Quintin Hunicke, but McKenna expressed concern regarding Hansen’s level of intoxication,” Dallara wrote.
McKenna said he asked to be dropped off at an Airport Heights home, from which they took a cab home at about 12:30 a.m. Saturday. Hunicke said he had been at the home from 7 p.m. Friday until he left in a cab with McKenna, who had called Hunicke earlier to say Hansen was driving drunk.
An anonymous tip submitted on the day of the gate-crashing incident led police to McKenna’s apartment, on the 11000 block of Heritage Court, where Hansen -- on felony probation for two previous DUI convictions, as well as a felony-eluding conviction -- was found hiding under a bed. Hansen was arrested on the probation violation, but denied being connected to the JBER incident and demanded a lawyer.
Police also discovered the pickup truck Saturday night at about 11:45 p.m., parked on the 1300 block of Garden Street in Airport Heights with a flat tire and several bullet holes.
Senior Airman Joseph Solven, another of the five people at the JBER roadblock that Hansen drove past, was able to positively identify him from an Alaska Department of Licensing photo.
In a Jan. 31 interview with Air Force OSI investigators, McKenna said he had met with Hansen at TGI Friday’s that Friday night and drank for about an hour, then left.
“McKenna did not think that Hansen was acting normal,” Dallara wrote. “McKenna did not believe Hansen was intoxicated, but knew that Hansen had consumed Coricidin D, a cold and flu medicine.”
In addition to admitting that he knew Hansen was on probation and wasn’t supposed to consume alcohol or drugs, McKenna also said Hansen would associate with heroin users and sometimes consume up to 10 Coricidin D pills in lieu of drugs.
McKenna said he had taken Hansen’s keys away, but Hansen took them back and the two agreed to drive to the Airport Heights home.
“When McKenna and Hansen arrived at (the) residence, Hansen began driving erratically in the parking lot,” Dallara wrote. “Outside...McKenna opened the passenger door to ask Hansen if he was going to come inside, Hansen did not respond and then sped off with the passenger door still open.”
McKenna said he had received several text messages from Hansen Saturday morning at about 2 a.m., including, “pick up your phone,” “I need you now” and “(expletive) hit the fan.” When he asked Hansen what happened, Hansen said he’d visit McKenna’s home rather than discuss it over the phone.
“Hansen arrived at McKenna’s residence on January 19, 2013, at approximately 3:30 p.m. with the seat cover from the truck and all Hansen’s belongings from the truck,” Dallara wrote. “Among the belongings were used syringes and an empty alcohol bottle.”
According to McKenna, Hansen said he had been talking on a cellphone with a woman when he hit the gate.
“Hansen told McKenna he did not stop when they were shooting at him because he was scared they were going to kill him,” Dallara wrote. “Hansen told McKenna that after he started getting fired upon, he became more scared and told McKenna that he hit three cop cars, a spike strip and the gate. Hansen told McKenna he was going to go home, get his guns and go out with a bang because he couldn’t go back to jail.”
Editor's note: This story has been revised to remove references to individuals not directly involved in the case.
Contact Chris Klint