Homicide; Glenn Highway/Hiland Exit

From the Attorney General’s Office

April 25, 2025 (Anchorage, AK) – Today, Superior Court Judge Jack McKenna sentenced Brian Tyler McGee, 29, for the vehicular homicide of Chase Bowerson, 26. Pursuant to a plea agreement, McGee pled guilty to Criminally Negligent Homicide and Leaving the Scene of an Accident Without Assisting an Injured Person. McGee was sentenced to serve 4 ½ years with 2 years suspended, for a total of 2 ½ years of active jail time. This plea agreement was reached after the court rejected the previous agreement that called for a sentence of 1 ½ years to serve.

The convictions stemmed from an incident in the early morning hours of Jan. 2, 2021. On the night of Jan. 1, McGee and Bowerson went to several bars in Anchorage and Wasilla with McGee driving. At approximately 3:45 a.m. on Jan. 2, a fight between the two men ended with McGee pulling off on the northbound side of the Glenn Highway, just south of Eagle River.  McGee forced Bowerson out of the car and drove away with Bowerson’s coat and other property. McGee left these items at the front door of Bowerson’s apartment in Eagle River and got back on the Glenn Highway, heading southbound toward Anchorage.

At approximately 4 a.m. as he was driving southbound on the Glenn Highway, McGee approached Bowerson, who was walking and struck Bowerson with his vehicle. McGee did not stop and left Bowerson on the shoulder of the roadway just north of the Hiland exit. Bowerson was not found for another four hours. Traffic cameras in Anchorage spotted McGee deliberately avoiding marked APD patrol cars as he traveled back to his home. When McGee was apprehended later that day, too much time had passed to determine his blood alcohol level at the time of the homicide.

The initial investigation of this case suggested the collision was the result of McGee deliberately turning toward and striking Bowerson, which resulted in an indictment against McGee for Murder in the First Degree, Murder in the Second Degree, Manslaughter, and the two offenses to which the defendant pleaded guilty.

Further investigation resulted in two expert opinions, based on a review of the scene evidence, that independently concluded that McGee had not deliberately steered toward Bowerson. Both experts possessed additional expertise in pedestrian impact collisions and determined that the initial assessment of the tire marks and the position of Bowerson in the road when he was struck was mistaken. The experts determined from the damage to McGee's vehicle, the debris on the road, and the limited tire mark evidence that Bowerson was struck by the right front portion of McGee's vehicle, and that McGee's vehicle then veered to the left.

After considering the experts’ opinions, the State determined the evidence no longer supported a conclusion beyond a reasonable doubt that McGee had acted intentionally in striking Bowerson. The State dismissed the murder charges but retained the charges for negligent homicide and leaving the scene of the accident.

As stated on the record during this morning’s sentencing proceedings, the State entered into an agreement based on an evaluation of the strength of the evidence and the need to promote public safety by ensuring McGee, who had no prior criminal history, was held accountable.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Travis Atkinson of the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office Homicide Unit.

From the Attorney General’s Office:
February 4, 2021 (Anchorage, AK) – Today, an Anchorage grand jury indicted 25-year-old Brian Tyler McGee for killing 26-year-old Chase Bowerson on January 2, 2021, on the Glenn Highway in Eagle River. Mr. McGee was indicted on one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, one count of manslaughter, and one count of failure to render aid.

If convicted at trial, Mr. McGee faces sentences of up to 99 years imprisonment for each of the murder charges, 20 years for the manslaughter charge, and 10 years for the failure to render aid charge.

These charges are only allegations and are not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Mr. McGee is currently out-of-custody on pretrial release after posting bond. The State has requested the court increase the bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned before the Superior Court in Anchorage on February 8, 2021.

Update on 1/13/21:
This collision has been classified as a homicide.

On January 12, 2021, Anchorage Police Detectives obtained a felony arrest warrant for Brian McGee for the charge of Murder II. McGee was subsequently served with that warrant at the Anchorage Jail where he was already incarcerated.

Update on 1/4/21 @ 11:20 AM:
The victim has been identified as 26-year-old Chase M. Bowerson. Next-of-kin notification procedures have been completed.

Update 1/3/21 12:30 PM:
On 1/2/21 at around 8:40 AM, APD Dispatch received a report of a potentially deceased pedestrian on the Glenn Highway near the Hiland exit.

The preliminary investigation has found that an adult male was traveling on the Glenn Highway in the early morning of 1/2/21 and struck a pedestrian with his vehicle. The male suspect fled the scene, failing to stop and render aid. The adult male pedestrian died as a result of his injuries. The victim's identity will be released pending next-of-kin procedures.

The suspect has been identified as 25-year-old Brian McGee. He has been charged with Failure to Render Aid. The investigation is ongoing and more charges may be forthcoming.

APD Case: 21-148