Troopers say Fairbanks driver hit 90 mph before DUI arrest

A driver ran stop signs and traffic signals through Fairbanks streets at speeds above 90 mph early Friday before troopers arrested him on a DUI charge, the Alaska State Troopers said.

The pursuit began after the driver failed to stop and signal when entering Van Horne Road, according to the troopers' dispatch, AK26092783. Troopers said he endangered other motorists during the chase and showed signs of impairment after stopping.

A Datamaster breath test, used for evidence rather than roadside screening, read.118, above the legal limit of.08. A Fairbanks man is charged with Failure to Stop at the Direction of a Peace Officer, Reckless Driving, and Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol. Troopers note that charges are accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

"Impaired driving is the number one priority for the AHSO as it is a preventable crime," the Alaska Highway Safety Office said in its FFY2025 annual report. The 642 arrests it recorded came from one federally funded enforcement program, not statewide totals.

The same report shows Fairbanks police, a different agency, missing a DUI goal of 110 arrests with 105, for lack of a full-time traffic enforcement officer. Budgeted at $278,000, the project spent $592.84.