An Anchor Point man accused of drunkenly smashing his truck into two guardrails and almost causing a head-on collision has been charged with assault.
Hugh F. Snell Jr., 65, was arrested Monday evening after Alaska State Troopers received a report that a white Chevy Avalanche had hit a guardrail near Clam Gulch and was continuing to travel along the Sterling Highway, despite heavy damage.
A witness told troopers that the Avalanche had missed hitting a van head-on by only a few feet, and described the event as “terrifying,” according to a trooper affidavit filed with the court.
The driver of the van reportedly told troopers that the Avalanche was within 15 feet of hitting his car, and that he had to slam on his brakes to avoid a collision.
While troopers were heading to the scene, dispatchers received reports that a wrecked vehicle with serious damage was heading southbound on the highway. Troopers located the Avalanche in a driveway off the highway, where Snell was inspecting the truck, according to the affidavit. Snell, who was immediately handcuffed, was wearing a shoulder holster with a loaded .38-caliber revolver, according to troopers. Troopers also reported finding a loaded semi-automatic 9 mm pistol in the center console of the truck, as well as numerous alcohol containers.
Snell allegedly failed all sobriety tests given to him on the scene and registered a 0.251 percent breath alcohol concentration in a preliminary breath test, more than three times the legal limit.
During an interview, Snell told troopers that he had hit northbound and southbound guardrails on the Sterling Highway. He said he drank three 12-ounce beers in the hours before the accident, and that he had been on the phone during the accident, according to the affidavit.
Snell faces charges of first-degree assault, a class C felony; driving under the influence, a class A misdemeanor; two counts of fourth-degree misconduct involving a weapon, a class A misdemeanor; and failure to give notice of an accident, a class A misdemeanor.
