Driver faces DUI charges in Saturday accident downtown

April 04, 2010

Police say a pickup truck driven by 25-year-old Shannon Haggitt struck a sedan and then a horse-drawn carriage at the Glacier Brewhouse Saturday night. (Jonathan Hartford/KTUU-DT)

by Channel 2 News staff
Sunday, April 4, 2010

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Police say the driver of a pickup truck that collided with a horse-drawn carriage Saturday night is facing DUI charges.

According to the Anchorage Police Department, 25-year-old Anchorage resident Shannon Haggitt is also charged with assault in the fourth degree and criminal mischief in the third degree.

The accident happened about 8 p.m. downtown near the Glacier Brewhouse. Police say it all started when a white pickup driven by Haggitt rear-ended a Volkswagen sedan that was pulling out of the Westmark Hotel parking lot onto 5th Avenue.

The driver of the sedan got out of the car and approached the truck when police say Haggitt accelerated again, colliding with a horse-drawn carriage which crashed against the wall of a building.

"So first you have a vehicle accident, then you have a vehicle-carriage accident, and then the carriage is pushed into pedestrians," said APD spokesperson Lt. Dave Parker. "So you really have three different incidents, all connected."

Two pedestrians on the sidewalk were hit by the carriage, and one of them was pinned underneath it. Police say they were both taken to the hospital with injuries, but were released Sunday.

"Fortunately, things could have been much worse," said Anchorage Fire Department Capt. Joe Albrecht. "Could have killed several people -- at this point in time it looks like everybody's going to survive, and the horses got off with minor injuries as well."

APD says the two horses pulling the carriage are both OK.

Haggitt was taken to jail. Her bail is set at $10,000.

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