Blake Turnbull Charged for Brandishing a Handgun while DUI

At 6:23 PM on August 6, 2023, a citizen called Anchorage Police Dispatch regarding a reckless driver who had brandished a gun out of the vehicle window at pedestrians near E 5th Avenue and Reeve Boulevard in Anchorage.  The complainant stated he last saw the suspect driving outbound on the Glenn Highway at a high rate of speed.

A Park Ranger driving outbound on the Glenn Highway saw a Chevy speeding; the Ranger notified APD Dispatch and provided location updates.  After confirming the Chevy’s driver was travelling 98 mph on the highway, the Ranger conducted a traffic stop on the Chevy in the parking lot of Fred Meyer in Eagle River.  APD Officers arrived shortly thereafter and confirmed the Chevy the Ranger had pulled over was the same suspect vehicle involved in the brandishing incident Downtown. The two males in the Chevy were detained.  Neither male was cooperative initially.  The passenger continually reached into his pockets while the driver tried to physically pull away and turn the Chevy’s ignition on so that he could flee the scene.  Once handcuffed, the officers asked if there were any weapons in the vehicle.  The officers were advised there was a gun under the passenger seat; the weapon was seized for evidence.

During their interaction with the driver, later identified as 19-year-old Blake A. Turnbull, the officers noticed signs of impairment. After administering Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs), the decision was made to charge Turnbull with Driving under the Influence.  During the investigation it was determined Turnbull had fired the handgun out of the Chevy’s window at least once while travelling the Glenn Highway.

Once Turnbull was transported to the Anchorage Jail for processing, he provided a breath sample which showed his breath alcohol content was more than one and a half times the legal limit.

Blake Turnbull was remanded at the jail on the charges of Reckless Endangerment, Resisting, Misconduct Involving a Weapon V – Fail to Inform, Reckless Driving, DUI, Misconduct Involving a Weapon IV – Possess While Intoxicated, Misconduct Involving a Weapon III – Fire from Vehicle, and Tampering with Physical Evidence.

The juvenile male passenger was not charged.  He was released at the scene to a parent.

No injuries were reported.

APD Case 23-25343

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