A Nome man has been arrested and faces multiple felony charges after police allege he hit an officer with his car while fleeing from a traffic stop, and was only arrested after ditching the vehicle and fleeing on foot.
The incident began when Nome Police stopped a car near 3rd Avenue and Steadman around 2:30 a.m. Thursday. In an affidavit filed with the Nome court, officers said they stopped the car for “failing to signal during a right turn” and for “a lack of brake lights.”
The driver was 34-year-old Scott Aningayou, but when officers asked him to get out of the car, police allege he slammed the car in reverse, accelerating “aggressively” and hitting one police officer in the hip with the vehicle before speeding away. Police gave chase, following Aningayou as they say he sped through two stop signs and turned off the car’s headlights to evade officers on Seppela Drive.
Police said Aningayou stopped the car on West D Street before attempting to flee on foot, and they said he continued fighting even as they arrested him and took him into custody.
Court documents claim Aningayou had marijuana upon his arrest, a drug offense elevated to a felony because his arrest was within 500 feet of the Nome Community Center, which houses the Boys and Girls Club.
In court Thursday, he also faced a felony assault charge for allegedly hitting the officer with his car, and a third felony charge for reckless driving.
He also faces misdemeanors for DUI, resisting arrest, driving with a revoked license, and reckless endangerment—the last charge a result of three passengers being in the car during the chase with police.
Nome District Attorney John Earthmen cited Aningayou’s record, including past drug and assault convictions, in calling for a steep bail, which was set at $10,000.
Further restrictions on his bail will be set at his court appearance next week.
Messages to the Nome Police Department were not returned Thursday, but the officer Aningayou allegedly hit with the vehicle was expected to return to work Thursday night.
