From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

Jack Shay

Former Ketchikan City Councilman John "Jack" W. Shay was charged with an additional 80 counts of child pornography today, police say.

Two of the charges stem from a homemade video in which at least one scene involves Shay, 80, and an unidentified pre-pubescent girl, according to a statement today from the Ketchikan Police Department.

Javier Antonio Martinez

From Casey Grove in Anchorage --

Police say they have discovered the true identity of a man charged with murder in the shooting death of his former supervisor at the Millennium Alaskan Hotel on Oct. 29.

A routine fingerprint check showed that the suspect, thought to be 45-year-old Victor Rodriguez Flores, was actually a convicted felon named Javier Antonio Martinez, 47, who had once been deported from the United States, according to Anchorage police.

An Anchorage grand jury on Tuesday indicted Martinez on one count of first-degree murder for killing Kerry Fadely, 55.

Martinez, previously referred to as Flores, was fired from his serving job at the hotel Oct. 21 after a dispute or argument, police said. According to charging documents filed against Flores, he returned about a week later to confront his former supervisor, 55-year-old Kerry Fadely, whom he then shot with a .45-caliber handgun, police said.

The hotel and a section of Spenard Road were closed for more than four hours as SWAT teams scoured the hotel and surrounding area for the shooting suspect, who surrendered later after arriving home from a bar in a taxi, police said.

It was unclear Wednesday morning what previous felony crime Martinez had committed, when it occurred or where, said police spokesman Lt. Dave Parker. Alaska court records do not show any felony charges for a man named Javier Martinez.

Parker said he did not know Martinez's country of origin. Detectives were looking into the details, he said.

"They're still pulling all that together," Parker said.

Martinez was apparently an illegal alien using the false name to work at the hotel, Parker said. The false identity did not appear to be the reason the hotel fired Martinez, Parker said.

"Was that the subject of the dispute? No," Parker said. "I don’t think they knew it."

Martinez's true identity was discovered as detectives and a state prosecutor prepared to take the case before a grand jury, Parker said. Fingerprints from the man thought to be Flores matched prints in a national database, showing he was in fact Martinez, Parker said.

"That's just one of the steps they take," Parker said. "It's happened before."

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

A man who blasted bear spray into a police officer's face during a traffic stop late Saturday night in Midtown has been arrested on felony eluding and assault charges.

A man accused of trying to run down an officer about two hours later in South Anchorage is under arrest too.

That according to Anchorage police, who initially thought the two men -- who look alike and both had warrants out for their arrest -- were the same guy. All told, four people have been arrested following a sequence of violent traffic stops and hot pursuits in Anchorage that included an officer firing on, but missing, one of the suspects.

It's a story of manhunts and mistaken identity that is turning out to be more complicated than police first suspected.

“One fled the police after bear spraying the officer and the other one fled police when they stopped him because they thought he was the other guy," said Lt. Dave Parker, a police spokesman.

Confused?

Here's a timeline of the arrests that police sent to reporters this morning. We'll update with more information as it becomes available:

From Casey Grove in Anchorage --

Anchorage police sent this video to reporters today. It shows a driver on the Glenn Highway early Tuesday losing control of his pickup, which then hit a light pole and flipped over.

The driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Despite running over the downed light pole, a police spokeswoman says the patrol car was not damaged.

Here's a press release police sent to reporters just after noon today:

Subject: Police Car’s Dash Cam Captures Rollover
Case Number: 11-50768

On November 1, 2011, just after 6 a.m., inbound traffic on the Glenn Highway was slowed for over two hours due to a vehicle striking a light pole which fell into the right-hand lanes of traffic, narrowly missing APD Traffic Officer Rick Dykstra’s patrol car. Attached is a video of the officer’s dash camera which captured the incident.

The vehicle which struck the light pole was a Chevy S-10 pickup truck, driven by Dale Cooper, 30, of Eagle River. Cooper was travelling inbound on the Glenn Highway, just before the Highland Road exit, when he lost control of the pickup. The truck slid across several lanes of traffic, went into the ditch on the north side of the highway, struck the light pole, and then flipped onto its roof before coming to rest. Officer Dykstra was approximately 200 feet behind Cooper and was preparing to pull over to assist the driver when the light pole crashed down directly in front of him. Cooper was trapped upside down in his vehicle until Officer Dykstra climbed in and pulled him out.

Medics transported Cooper to a local hospital however his injuries did not appear life threatening.

Although Officer Dykstra did not avoid running over the light pole, the police vehicle was not damaged. No citations have been issued.

This has been updated with a story on our homepage.

Saturday morning update:

From Casey Grove in Anchorage --

Police have arrested a man for a fatal stabbing Friday night in South Anchorage.

Joshua Wagner, 35, was jailed for allegedly killing his 34-year-old neighbor, Norman Dennis, police said Saturday.

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

A 31-year-old Anchorage man shot at pursuing police officers after pistol-whipping a relative early this morning, police say.

This today from the Anchorage Police Department:

Subject: Shots Fired After Robbery

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

A grand jury indictment handed down today in the case of an Oct. 10 gun battle outside a Muldoon bar reveals new details about what police think happened that night.

The indictment accuses Lee Chee Chang of not only gunning down Emilio Ramirez outside J.J.'s Lounge, but also shooting two others who survived.

"He shot both of them, and both of them were unarmed," said Lt. David Parker, a police spokesman.

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

An Oregon man snuck about a pound of weed to Alaska on the ferry from Bellingham and was arrested Sunday in Ketchikan, troopers said.

George Marlin, 24, was carrying 15 ounces of marijuana with a street value of $11,325, troopers said. An un-named Juneau woman accused of carrying an ounce of marijuana also may face charges.

Here's the report from today's trooper logs:

Location: Ketchikan

Vaituu Motuga, 41, faces five felony counts of sexual abuse of a minor.

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

A man who police say has sexually abused one or more children has jumped bail and may be trying to flee the country, Anchorage police said today.

Vaituu Motuga, 41, faces five felony counts of sexual abuse of a minor, court records show. Motuga made his first court appearance on the charges Aug. 12.

The FBI says Aubrey Leoline Haynie, 49, robbed a First National Bank branch Wednesday in East Anchorage. He left behind a check -- using his personal First National Bank account -- for $1 million, the FBI says. Haynie had $4.25 in the account, according to an FBI affidavit.

UPDATE: Haynie turned himself in tonight at a Wisconsin Street church, said Lt. Dave Parker, an Anchorage Police Department spokesman.

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

Lee Chee Chang turns himself in to police Wednesday night (Photo by Bob Hallinen/ADN)

From Casey Grove in Anchorage --

Homicide detectives were in the process of getting an arrest warrant Wednesday for a suspect in a fatal East Anchorage shooting when the man turned himself in to police Wednesday night, a police spokesman said.

“It was coincidence that the timing worked out like that,” police spokesman Lt. Dave Parker said in a phone interview this morning.

Lee Chee Chang, 25, was ultimately charged with first-degree murder for the death of Emelio Ramirez outside J.J.’s Lounge, police said. Ka Meng Chang, 28, also died in the shootout, police said. The Changs were brothers, according to Lee Chee Chang’s lawyer, Rex Butler.

It remained unclear early Thursday who shot Ka Meng Chang.

The younger Chang was named as a “person of interest” in the case Tuesday afternoon. By 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, he was in Butler’s office and in police custody about an hour later.

Taking Butler’s advice, Chang did not make a statement to the detectives Wednesday night, Parker said. “If a person doesn’t want to talk to us, we don’t try to interview them,” Parker said.

Detectives had earlier in the day written up an arrest warrant to be signed by a magistrate and received the signed warrant later, when Chang arrived at the police department, Parker said.

Parker didn’t know what time Wednesday the detectives applied for the arrest warrant. Police have refused to say what information convinced them Chang was not just a “person of interest” but a suspect in the case.

The detectives also are not saying yet if they believe Ramirez shot Ka Meng Chang, Parker said.

“It’ll all come out when the timing is right,” he said.

Lee Chee Chang is scheduled to be arraigned at 2:30 this afternoon.

From Casey Grove in Anchorage --

Anchorage police have arrested a man alleged to have participated in the shooting early Monday that left two dead and two wounded outside a bar on Muldoon Road.

Vang Chang, a 29-year-old Anchorage resident, was arrested Monday night, police said. According to police, Chang, a convicted felon, ran away from the scene of the shooting with a handgun from one of the shooters and pointed the gun at a witness who followed him, police said.

Police also named the two men killed. The victim found on Muldoon Road was Ka Meng Chang, 28, police said. The victim found in a parking lot was Emelio Salvadore Ramirez, 35, police said.

Here's a written statement from police sent to reporters this morning (note: police have corrected Ramirez's first name since first sending this press release):

Subject – Early Morning Shooting in Muldoon – Multiple Victims
Update #1 – 10-11-11 09:45 hours
Case Number – 11-47226

Anchorage Police Department Homicide Unit Detectives have arrested a person they believe to have been a participant in the shooting at JJ’s Lounge. Vang Chang, a 29 year-old Anchorage resident was arrested the evening of 10-10-11 on charges of Misconduct Involving a Weapon 3th degree (Felon in Possession), Assault 3rd degree, and Tampering With Physical Evidence. Detectives believe that after the shooting, he took one of the handguns from one of the shooters and left the area with it. As Vang Chang ran away from the scene, he was followed by a witness. Chang then pointed the handgun at the witness who stopped following him at that point. Chang is scheduled to be arraigned today (10-11-11) in Anchorage Jail Court after 14:30 hours.

Detectives are also releasing the names of the 2 victims who died in the shooting. The victim who was found on Muldoon Road was 28 year-old Anchorage resident Ka Meng Chang. The victim found in the parking lot of JJ’s was 35 year-old Anchorage resident Emilio Salvadore Ramirez, who was also known as Mario Lopez. Autopsy results showed that both of these men died of injuries sustained when they were shot.

Detectives are still investigating this shooting. Anyone with information which may assist police in this investigation should call Anchorage Police Homicide Detective John Foraker immediately at 786-2455.

Additional updates will be posted as information becomes available.

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

2:20 p.m. update: We've posted an updated version of this story here. The co-owner of J.J.'s Lounge says that one of the men killed was involved in an argument with another patron just before the shooting.

Sandra Perry was shot and killed by Robert Kowalski in 1996 in Yakutat. The shooting was ruled as an accident at the time. But detectives reopened the case after Kowalski shot a second woman years later under similar circumstances. He has now been charged with murder in the Alaska death, troopers said today.

From Casey Grove and Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

A man doing time in Montana for murdering his girlfriend has now been indicted in a similar killing 15 years ago in Alaska.

The first shooting came in the summer of 1996. Robert D. Kowalski, then 34, was vacationing at the Glacier Bear Lodge in Yakutat with girlfriend Sandra Perry, Alaska State Troopers said.

Kowalski told authorities he grabbed a shotgun after hearing a bear outside the window, troopers said. The gun accidentally went off, striking and killing Perry, he told authorities.

Although a man staying in the next room said he heard the pair arguing before the gunshot, Kowalski was never charged with the death, court records show.

That changed when -- 12 years later and more than 1,200 miles away -- Kowalski shot a second woman. The killing came in 2008 in Montana, when Kowalski fired on girlfriend Lorraine Kay Morin following an argument.

Once again, the victim was shot in the head. Once again, Kowalski claimed the killing was an accident. This time, however, he was charged with murder. He pleaded guilty to the homicide in July 2009, according to the Daily Inter Lake News in Northwest Montana.

The eerie similarities between the two shootings prompted investigators in Alaska to reopen the old Yakutat cold case.

It’s unclear what new information they discovered, but a Juneau grand jury handed up an indictment for murder on Friday, troopers said.

Kowalski, now 50, remains behind bars in Montana pending extradition to Alaska, troopers said. A Juneau judge set his bail at $1 million, troopers said.

Read much more about the two shootings here:

-- Woman's death in Montana has eerie echoes of Yakutat killing (Anchorage Daily News, 2009)

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Smart

Davis

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

Two men described by police as homeless have been charged with stealing laptops from Rural CAP offices in Fairview.

The nonprofit corporation provides aid to low-income and homeless Alaskans. An employee discovered the theft Monday, police say. The next day, an employee spotted Daniel Davis, 52, and John Smart, 48, walking on Gambell Street.

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

Troopers perform an unusual traffic stop:

Location: Wasilla
Type: Theft 2nd Degree, Criminal Trespass 1st Degree

Text: On 9-16-11 at approximately 2006 hours, Alaska State Troopers received a report of a stolen John Deere lawn mower from a residence near Tamar Circle, in Wasilla. On 9-17-11 at approximately 2045 hours Alaska State Troopers observed the green John Deere riding lawn mower traveling northbound near the Parks Highway and Church Road, in Wasilla, and conducted an investigative stop.
The operator of the vehicle was identified as Kelly A. Henning, age 29 of Wasilla. Investigation revealed Henning had stolen the lawn mower. Subsequently, Henning was arrested for Theft in the 2nd Degree and Criminal Trespass in the 1st Degree. Henning was remanded at Mat-Su Pretrial and bail was set at $2,500.

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

A man who had been living in a tent near the Northway Mall is charged with rape and assault after attacking a woman who refused to have sex with him, police say.

A police dog, “Chance,” tracked down 46-year-old Anchorage resident Phillip Pavala early Sunday morning as he hid in tall grass about 300 yards from the campsite, police say. Pavala punched and choked the woman, according to police.

Read our updated version of this story.

From Casey Grove in Anchorage --

Anchorage police say an early morning beating at a Northeast Anchorage mobile home park sent a homeless man to the hospital and landed two of his suspected attackers in jail.

A police dog helped nab the suspects, according to a written statement from police.

Here's a statement police sent to news media this morning:

Subject – Police Arrest Suspect in Homeless Beating
Case Number – 11-43250

On 9-16-11 at 01:38 hours Anchorage Police Department patrol officers responded to the report of a male who had been beaten and was injured near a mobile home at 1001 Boniface Parkway. Responding officers found Daniel Workman, who identified himself to police as being homeless, bleeding badly from wounds to the front and back of his head. He told police that he had been attacked by 4 young males who had been on mountain bikes. Workman was transported to a local hospital with a lacerated scalp and broken facial bones. His injuries though serious, are not believed to be life threatening.

Officers Jason Whetsell and K-9 “Dutch” began a track which led them to a mobile home in a different area of the park. One suspect, 20 year old Kenneth Towksjhea Jr. was located in the residence nearby but 3 other suspects bolted out the back of the residence as officers approached. The K-9 Team continued the track and the 3 additional suspects were located in another mobile home.

Investigators learned that Kenneth Towksjhea Jr. was the primary aggressor and he had struck Workman in the face with his fist and then repeatedly stomped on his head as the victim lay on the ground. Another of the suspects, a juvenile male, told police that he too had struck Workman with a fist after he had been knocked to the ground. The other 2 suspects had been only witnesses and had not been involved in the assault. Workman indicated that Towksjhea had emptied his pockets but he had no valuables to be stolen. Towsjhea was arrested and charged with Robbery 1st degree and Assault 1st degree. He is being held without bail and is scheduled for arraignment on 9-17-11 after 13:30 hours. Charges are pending in the juvenile justice system for the juvenile suspect.

From Kyle Hopkins --

An Emmonak woman will spend a year in prison for stealing about $100,000 from a tribal organization in her Western Alaska village, federal prosecutors say.

A U.S. District judge on Friday sentenced former tribal administrator Kathleen Lamont, 45, to serve 12 months for embezzling from Chuloonawick Native Village in Emmonak. She must also pay restitution for the total amount stolen.