Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – On Thursday, at about 10:21 p.m., an on-duty patrol officer driving in the area of Glacier Highway and Shell Simmons Drive observed a white 2016 Nissan Frontier lose control and strike a pedestrian on the sidewalk.
The pedestrian, a 35-year-old male Juneau resident, sustained life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital.
Further investigation led JPD to a hotel in the 9000 block of Glacier Highway, where the driver of the vehicle was identified as 26-year-old Anchorage resident Scott Roy Underwood.
The Nissan was seen traveling West on Glacier Highway at a high rate of speed, in a 35-mph zone.
The Nissan lost control and drove over a curb. At the time, three pedestrians were walking on the sidewalk.
One of the pedestrians was struck by the Nissan and thrown several yards.
The two other pedestrians managed to get out of the way without being struck.
After the Nissan struck the pedestrian, the witnessing officer activated their emergency lights and sirens. The Nissan sped up and continued driving on Glacier Highway.
The witnessing officer stopped at the scene to provide emergency services to the injured pedestrian. A witness to the incident stopped and offered assistance until EMS arrived. The injured man was later medevacked out of town for further medical treatment.
At about 10:39 p.m., responding officers located the Nissan in the business parking lot in the area of Del Rae Road. The Nissan was unoccupied and had sustained front-end damage. Responding officers then went to the suspected residence and identified Underwood as the driver.
Underwood was placed under arrest on the following charges and taken to the Lemon Creek Correctional Center:
- Assault in the 2nd degree, a class B felony
- Duty of Operator to Give Information and Render Assistance, a class C felony
- Fail to Stop at the Direction of a Peace Officer in the 2nd degree, a class A misdemeanor
- Reckless Driving, a class A misdemeanor
- Reckless Endangerment, a class A misdemeanor
- Reckless Endangerment, a class A misdemeanor
