ANCHORAGE, Alaska—
An Alaska State Trooper shot and injured an Anchorage man Wednesday evening after he allegedly drove recklessly on the Parks Highway and then tried to flee troopers while brandishing a handgun.According to a Thursday AST dispatch, the incident began at about 9:20 p.m. when troopers tried to conduct a traffic stop on a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix headed south near Mile 44 of the Parks Highway in Wasilla. The driver, 35-year-old Albert Samoa Maifea, had been traveling at a high rate of speed in a 45-mph speed zone.
“The vehicle occupied by only the driver, failed to stop at a steady red light on the Parks Highway and began driving into the oncoming lane while passing traffic,” troopers wrote. “The vehicle reached speeds in excess of 100 (mph) while traveling southbound on Knik Goose Bay Road, in the designated highway safety corridor, then turned onto Edlund Road and then onto Fairview Loop Road.”
Maifea stopped on Fairview near its intersection with Lookout Drive and tried to run away while armed, at which point a trooper fired his duty weapon and hit him. Maifea was taken to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, while the trooper was uninjured.
Troopers later discovered that Maifea was driving with a revoked license and had a misdemeanor warrant from an Anchorage court for failure to appear on a charge of malicious mischief to private property. No charges have yet been filed against him in the Wednesday incident.
An investigation of the incident is in progress, and anyone who witnessed any part of the chase or shooting is asked to call Investigator Granda with AST in Palmer at 746-9106. The name of the trooper who fired on Maifea will be withheld for three days, in accordance with AST policy.
The shooting is at least the seventh involving law-enforcement officers in Alaska this year, with troopers involved in at least three officer-related shootings this year. Anchorage police have been involved in two fatal shootings and one injury shooting.
