A Chugiak man is in jail three weeks after crashing his pickup into a couple on a downtown sidewalk early New Year's Day, knocking the pair unconscious and severely injuring both of them, police said.
Tex Daniels II, 22, turned himself in for arrest late Tuesday on charges of first-degree assault, drunken driving and failing to render aid to the two 24-year-olds, who'd just months earlier made Anchorage their home.
The couple, Ashley Brotherton and Clayton Wilbanks, are now back in Colorado as Brotherton continues therapy for her injuries, according to a recovery website maintained by family members. The first-year special education teacher at Denali Montessori School suffered a broken neck, multiple skull fractures and brain swelling, police said. Wilbanks, who worked at a local car rental business, had a broken nose and lacerated spleen and scalp.
Brotherton and Wilbanks were walking home from a New Year's Eve concert in Spenard. The Dodge Ram 1500 approached from behind them near 15th Avenue and I Street. Police said Daniels lost control of the pickup while passing another vehicle -- the Dodge was traveling about 50 mph, witnesses said -- then struck a pile of rocks and a fence, according to a charging document. The pickup continued until it hit the two pedestrians and some trees and landed in a snowbank.
Daniels tried to drive away twice, but the pickup's front end was damaged and would not pull out of the snow, a detective said. The witnesses pulled Daniels from the driver's seat and held him on the ground to keep him from leaving the scene of the wreck, the charges say.
Wilbanks woke up a few hours after arriving at a hospital and was listed in serious condition. Brotherton, considered critical at the time, needed breathing help from a ventilator and didn't wake up until about 36 hours later, her mother said after the wreck.
Daniels remained out of custody for more than three weeks as a detective waited for samples of his blood to be tested. The samples later showed Daniels' blood-alcohol content was 0.226, well over the legal limit of 0.08, police said.
It's unclear where Daniels had been drinking that night, police spokesman Lt. Dave Parker said.
Police relied on blood evidence, rather than a quicker breath test, because of the seriousness of the allegations, said Rick Steiding, a Traffic Unit detective.
Days after the wreck, Wilbanks said he didn't remember being struck and didn't feel any ill will toward Daniels.
"It's just sad," Wilbanks said, still in his hospital bed at the time. "Drinking and driving is definitely not a smart thing to do."
Brotherton's recovery continues at a Colorado hospital, according to caringbridge.org. Her weekday therapy includes activities for relearning fine-motor control, and she is staying positive, her family wrote in a Monday update.
Though her visitation is still limited, Wilbanks was able to see her Monday.
"She had been telling all of her nurses and therapists that he would be coming to see her today, it is clear how happy she is to have him back with her," her family wrote. "His presence gives her even more strength and optimism, she is glowing!"
Reach Casey Grove at casey.grove@adn.com or 257-4589.
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