Last updated at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1
The Anchorage Police Department has arrested a 25-year-old Anchorage man and charged him with murder as the alleged driver in a Sept. 25, 2016 fatal collision.
The single-vehicle collision took place on the Glenn Highway at the McCarrey Street overpass, claiming the life of a passenger, Thomas Shetters. Police announced the case update on Wednesday following Jesse Stutzke’s arrest.
Initially, police did not name the driver, but on Tuesday reported that a woman told police she was behind the wheel when the crash occurred and Stutzke was a passenger.
“Stutzke, who was on probation, did not want to get into trouble so he convinced 24-year-old Tishina Oskolkoff to say she was the driver instead (she was actually the front seat passenger),” APD spokeswoman Renee Oistad explained in a statement.
On Tuesday, a development in the case led police to file charges of second-degree murder, first-degree assault and driving under the influence against Stutzke. Oistad noted that the DUI charge was related to both alcohol and drug use.
Both Oskolkoff and Stutzke were treated for injuries sustained in the crash, according to police. Oistad said in an email that when Stutzke was at the hospital, his blood was drawn. Police later obtained a warrant for his medical records and had his blood tested for drugs and alcohol, she explained.
Stutzke was taken into custody the next day with the help of APD traffic officers and booked at the Anchorage Correctional Complex, according to Oistad.
“Oskolkoff has not been charged at this time but the investigation is ongoing,” Oistad concluded.
This is a developing story; please check back for updates and tune during our 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts for the live coverage.
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