Due to several citizen REDDI calls, Reuben Rice is now facing multiple charges in DUI investigation

At 5:50 AM on January 8, 2022, a citizen called APD Dispatch to report a reckless driver near E Northern Lights Boulevard and UAA Drive.  The citizen stated a person driving a blue Ford pickup truck was unable to maintain his lane and was swerving.  The citizen safely followed the pickup while providing location updates to Dispatch. Eventually the citizen was no longer able to follow the suspect.  Several mid-shift officers responded to the last known area of travel and began looking for the Ford. 

One of the officers saw the Ford traveling eastbound on Mountain View Drive near Bragaw Street. The officer followed the Ford driven by a male, who was later identified as 43-year-old Reuben L. Rice, for a short distance.  During that time the officer saw Rice swerving between lanes and almost hitting the median.  The officer initiated a traffic stop by activating his patrol vehicle’s emergency lights and siren.  Rice initially tapped the Ford’s brakes and began pulling over to the side of the road but then he continued driving down Mountain View Drive.  Rice drove through the red light at Boniface and was attempting to speed up but just kept spinning the pickup’s tires on the ice.   Rice then drove over the median to get to the off-ramp leading him to the outbound lanes of the Glenn Highway.  Due to Rice’s dangerous driving behavior, and the other traffic in the immediate area, the officer terminated the pursuit.  The officer aired a locate over the radio including the vehicle’s description, Rice’s physical description, and the last known direction of travel.

As Rice continued driving on the Glenn Highway, several more citizens called Dispatch to report Rice’s erratic driving behavior.  Those REDDI calls included reports of Rice swerving, suddenly stopping, varying his speeds, hanging out of the driver’s side window, and performing multiple U-turns.

 A day-shift patrol officer travelling on the inbound lanes of the Glenn Highway reported that he saw the blue Ford driving in the opposite direction on the outbound lanes near the Hiland Exit.  A mid-shift officer was nearby, heard the day-shift officer’s radio traffic, and very quickly caught up to the Ford in the outbound lanes of the Glenn.  That officer activated his patrol vehicle’s emergency lights, but Rice did not yield and continued to weave between the lanes.  There was very light traffic on the roadway which allowed the officer to safely follow Rice until Rice took the North Eagle River Exit.  An officer attempted to block in the pickup (which was travelling at low speeds).  The block caused Rice’s vehicle to spin at which time Rice continued driving on the ramp in reverse.  Officers initiated a second block which stopped the pursuit.

Rice exited through the Ford’s driver’s side window and fled on foot.  Officers gave chase while issuing commands for Rice to stop which Rice initially ignored.  Eventually Rice looked back at the police pursuing him, and then Rice fell face first onto the snow which allowed officers to detain Rice and escort him back to the scene of the traffic stop.  Between Rice’s driving behavior, and how he behaved with officers, police believed Rice was under the influence of drugs.  Rice was uncooperative and would not participate in Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs).  The decision was made to charge Rice with Driving under the Influence.  Rice was transported to the Anchorage Jail for further processing; Rice refused to provide a breath sample.  A search warrant was obtained for Rice’s blood. When Rice was informed his blood would be drawn, Rice became physically combative.  Several officers had to hold Rice down to allow the phlebotomist to draw his blood.

Reuben Rice was remanded at the jail on the charges of Criminal Mischief III, two counts of Fail to Stop, Refusal, Resisting, DUI, and two counts of Reckless Driving.

APD Case 22-818

REDDI – Report Every Dangerous Driver Immediately by calling 9-1-1.  APD is grateful to all the citizens who called in to Dispatch regarding Rice’s dangerous driving behavior.  The totality of all the witness statements is a large part of the probable cause police were required to obtain to bring forth criminal charges.