FAIRBANKS — A North Pole man is accused of dragging an Alaska State Trooper from the front door of his vehicle for a distance of about 60 feet early Tuesday morning.

The trooper was treated for injuries to his lower leg and released from Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.

Erin S. Johnson, 48, is charged with first-degree assault.

At about 3:20 a.m., two troopers were sent to the Moose Creek Apartments near Eielson Air Force Base to investigate a report of people going through parked vehicles. On scene, troopers spoke with Johnson, who was in a vehicle with a woman who is a known thief, according to the criminal complaint against him. He told troopers he was in the area to pick up his daughter. Troopers did not immediately detain Johnson, but kept an eye on him as they spoke with the person who reported the theft.

When troopers learned one suspect description matched Johnson, they returned to his vehicle to ask more questions. He started to drive away when troopers came to his window again and asked him get out of the vehicle. He drove away and almost hit one trooper and dragged the other one who tried to pull him out the vehicle or turn off the ignition, troopers said.

A high-speed auto chase ensued, and Johnson escaped, troopers said.

Johnson called troopers at 10:25 Tuesday morning. He said he had been afraid troopers were going to hurt him and said he “didn’t respond well” to the situation. Troopers found him at his home on North Pole.

Troopers also spoke with his passenger. She told troopers Johnson fled because he is a convicted felon and had a handgun under his seat. He was convicted of felony weapons misconduct in Fairbanks in 2005.

At an arraignment Wednesday afternoon, Johnson appeared by video conference from Fairbanks Correctional Center wearing a black Rolling Stones T-shirt. Public defender Michael Biderman said he would make an argument for why Johnson should be released on bail at a future hearing. Alicemary Rasley did not set bail, citing the severity of the charge and the lack of an argument for bail.

Contact staff writer Sam Friedman at 459-7545