At 1:41 PM on March 7, 2024, Anchorage Police responded to the Huffman Road/Old Seward Highway roundabout regarding a two-vehicle collision.  When officers arrived, they saw a 2019 red Dodge Charger facing eastbound in the westbound lanes.  The Dodge Charger had collided with a 2018 red Volkswagen that had been heading westbound when it was struck.  Officers could see there were two adult women in the Charger.  As one of the officers parked his patrol vehicle in preparation to exit it, he heard and saw the Dodge’s driver attempting to leave the scene.

43-year-old Melissa R. Ingersoll drove the Charger into a nearby parking lot causing a group of pedestrians to leap out of the way to avoid being struck.  After driving a circle though the lot, Ingersoll exited onto Silver Fox Lane. The officer caught up to the Dodge as the Doge was being driven down Brandon Street.  Ingersoll struck a trash can, hit the gas, and then launched up onto a snow berm taking out the stop sign at Kruge Avenue and Brandon Street in the process.

As the officer approached on foot, Ingersoll climbed out of the stuck Charger and stepped into the snowbank where she was taken into custody.  Ingersoll sustained superficial cuts to her arms and face which were evaluated by AFD medics at the scene.  Officers witnessed Ingersoll display multiple signs of impairment however Ingersoll refused to participate in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFSTs).  The decision was made to charge her with Operating under the Influence.

Once the officer and Ingersoll arrived at the Anchorage Correctional Complex for further processing, Ingersoll provided a breath sample showing her breath alcohol content was more than four times the legal limit.  Melissa Ingersoll was charged with OUI and Leaving the Scene of an Accident.

The preliminary investigation indicates that prior to the initial collision with the Volkswagen, Ingersoll drove the Charger into a stop sign just north of Huffman Road on the Old Seward Highway.  Ingersoll continued into the roundabout at an increased speed, hopped the median, and struck the Volkswagen.

Both the driver of the Volkswagen and Ingersoll’s passenger may have suffered minor injuries.  Neither was transported by medics to a hospital.

APD Cases 24-7505 and 24-7511

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