By Police1 Staff
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A driver who was high on drugs crashed into a stationary line of cars while trying to avoid spike strips.
Troopers attempted to pull over Reily W. Arambul, 21, for a moving violation Sunday, the Alaska Dispatch News reported.
After a high-speed, 20-mile pursuit, the troopers deployed the strips. In an effort to avoid them, Arambul swerved and struck two citizens’ cars that were stopped, KTVA reported. The civilians did not suffer serious injuries. Two troopers were treated at local hospitals.
Arambul continued driving with two flat tires after striking the vehicles, reaching 100 mph. Police said when the car failed, Arambul attempted to flee on foot but was detained by troopers.
Kelly Jeffries and her family were in one of the cars that was struck and said they were “shocked” that the troopers placed the strips “15 yards in front of us.”
“We felt like they could have put some flares across the road and moved about half a mile up the highway and set up their strip to stop that guy and maybe keep everybody a little safer,” Jeffries told KTVA.
Police spokesman Tim DeSpain told the Alaska Dispatch News that troopers worked to get everyone on the side of the road during the pursuit, but Arambul approached too quickly to have the drivers back away. He said it appears the correct procedures were followed, but an investigation is ongoing.
Arambul told police he smoked meth earlier in the day. He had a warrant out for a probation violation as well. He was charged with a drug related DUI, failing to stop at the direction of a peace officer, reckless driving, four counts of third-degree assault, leaving the scene of an accident, and having no vehicle insurance.