INFORMATION RELEASE

On 10/10/18, at about 9:41 AM, the Juneau Police Department received a report of a vehicle theft in the area of 2200 Trout Street. The vehicle was identified as a black 2004 Chevrolet Silverado.

The owner of the vehicle told police that one of his employees had been driving the vehicle and had left it running in front of a business on Trout Street. When the driver returned to the vehicle, it was gone.

Soon afterwards, the owner saw his vehicle being driven inbound on Egan drive. The owner followed the vehicle until it made a sudden U-turn in the area of Channel Vista Drive and headed outbound on Egan Drive. Police responded to the area and located the vehicle driving outbound on Egan Drive, as it turned onto Vanderbilt Hill Road. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but it didn't stop. The vehicle was driving at a high rate of speed and appeared to be trying to elude police. It was estimated that the vehicle was travelling about 75 mph in a 40 mph zone. The vehicle was approaching the intersection of Glacier Highway and Anka Streets, and due to the unsafe speeds, officers chose not to pursue the vehicle.

Multiple officers responded to the area to look for the stolen vehicle, but it was not located right away.

At about 11:58 AM that same day, the stolen vehicle was located in the 5500 block of Glacier Highway. The vehicle was parked, and unoccupied. Officers obtained video surveillance from the area where the vehicle was located. The video showed a male suspect getting out of the stolen vehicle. That suspect was identified by police as 30 year old Taylor Cope.

Police records showed that Cope had a $15,000 felony arrest warrant out of Florida for eluding police and habitual driving on a revoked license.

On 10/16/18, at about 3:47 PM, JPD received a tip that Cope was seen entering a business in the 1800 block of Shell Simmons Drive. Officers responded to the area and located Cope as he was exiting a room. Officers told Cope he was under arrest and Cope attempted to slam the door shut. There was a brief struggle with Cope, which ended after officers used a Taser on him. After the use of the Taser, Cope stopped struggling, and complied with officers.

Cope was taken to the jail and charged with vehicle theft 1st degree, a class C felony, failure to stop at the direction of a peace officer in the 1st degree, a class C felony, and resisting arrest, a class A misdemeanor. Cope was held without bail.

At this time, JPD is still trying to confirm if Cope's warrants out of Florida are extraditable.