A man who allegedly stole an Anchorage truck, rammed a parked SUV and carjacked a third vehicle before veering into a ditch along the Seward Highway was scheduled for arraignment in Anchorage jail court Wednesday afternoon.
Lance Colby Harrington, 41, was arrested by a vacationing U.S. Forest Service officer and “Good Samaritan” law enforcement officers near Mile 65 of the Seward Highway Tuesday afternoon, according to an Alaska State Trooper dispatch.
Troopers were notified at approximately 12:39 p.m. of a reckless driver who had failed to stop for the Anchorage Police Department, troopers reported.
The driver, identified as Harrington, was reported driving through Turnagain Pass “in a reckless manner” and heading south on the Seward Highway.
At Mile 72 of the highway, Harrington allegedly rammed into a parked Dodge SUV with five occupants — who suffered minor to no injuries.
Harrington then threatened the driver of a nearby Chevrolet pickup with a metal bar and smashed the pickup’s back window in an attempt to get into the truck, according to troopers.
The driver — a 46-year-old Palmer man — tried to head south on the highway, but Harrington allegedly pulled him from the truck near Mile 71 and sped southbound on the highway.
Harrington lost control of the pickup at Mile 65, and skidded off the roadway into a ditch, according to the dispatch. He continued driving, however, until the truck hit a culvert and creek drainage ditch, troopers reported. The truck rolled multiple times, throwing Harrington from the vehicle into the woods. He then left the woods, ran to the highway and tried to take a car that stopped for the collision, according to the dispatch.
Harrington, who reportedly tried to leave the scene, was arrested by the off-duty officers.
Troopers received the report of the vehicle wreck at approximately 1:15 p.m., and took Harrington into custody shortly after, Alaska State Troopers spokesperson Megan Peters said.
Harrington had minor to moderate injuries, and was transported by emergency medical services to Providence Hospital in Anchorage.
Peters said it’s unknown if alcohol or drugs were involved in the incident. Results from a toxicology screen take four to eight weeks, she said.
Harrington faces a charge of first-degree robbery, two counts of first-degree vehicle theft, two counts of third-degree assault, and charges of fourth-degree assault, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, reckless endangerment and resisting arrest, according to the trooper dispatch.
Reach Erin Thompson at ethompson@peninsulaclarion.com.
