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David W. Wiebe, 41, has been charged with failure to stop at the direction of a peace officer, a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison. He also faces misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and driving with a revoked license.
Trooper Brian Zeisel recognized Wiebe as someone who had been advised of having a revoked license when he spotted Wiebe pull into the Boatel bar in the early morning hours of April 29 on a red Kawasaki motorcycle, according to charging documents.
In the bar parking lot, Wiebe, who was not wearing a helmet, let his female passenger off the bike, then took off on Riverside Drive and Park Drive, at times nearly losing control of the motorcycle on the gravel road, according to a criminal complaint filed in court.
Zeisel pursued Wiebe to University Avenue, Geraghty Avenue and Farmers Loop at speeds of about 100 mph, eventually calling for additional units to block Wiebe's path at McGrath Road.
Rather than stop, the rider went on to the bike path along Farmers Loop, drove around the troopers and continued on the Steese Highway toward Fox, at which point the pursuit ended for safety reasons.
The woman Wiebe dropped off at the Boatel told troopers she only knew the motorcyclist as David, having met him earlier that night. The pair had been drinking at another bar, and she was told to get off the bike when the pursuit began, according to charging documents.
Wiebe was arrested on an oustanding warrant Monday at a Fairbanks home. As of Wednesday afternoon, he had not posted $5,000 bail.
Wiebe has a criminal record going back more than a decade. He was convicted of felony assault and drug possession in 2006 for swerving a vehicle at his ex-girlfriend and possessing methamphetamine.
Contact staff writer Chris Freiberg at 459-7545.
To contact the Newsroom, call 907-274-1111.
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