Two Alaska State Troopers have been charged with assault following a violent arrest in Soldotna involving a case of mistaken identity. On May 24, canine handler Jason Woodruff and Sgt. Joseph Miller mistook Ben Tikka for his cousin, Garrett Tikka, who was wanted for not serving a 10-day sentence he was handed for driving with a revoked license. The incident left Ben Tikka injured severely, requiring surgery due to muscle lacerations, a fractured shoulder, and multiple dog bites.
The confrontation escalated when Ben Tikka denied being the subject of a warrant and did not immediately leave his vehicle. Miller responded by smashing a window, using pepper spray, and physically assaulting Tikka, while Woodruff commanded his police dog to continue attacking, even as Tikka complied with orders and begged for the dog to stop. Woodruff, 42, later claimed he followed training protocols. Video evidence from body cameras will remain unreleased pending the case's resolution; the commissioner of the Alaska Department of Public Safety described being "totally sickened by what I saw."
Both troopers have been placed on administrative leave and are scheduled for a court appearance on September 10. The state's Deputy Attorney General, John Skidmore, noted he could not recall bringing excessive force charges against a trooper during his 25-year tenure in Alaska. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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