Press Release

Jury Returns Guilty Verdicts in Roadway-Chase, Attempted Murder of Trooper

October 21, 2025

(Glennallen, AK) – Yesterday, a Glennallen jury returned guilty verdicts against Mark Heinz, 64, who committed a series of assaults on residents in Gakona, engaged in a high-speed chase with an Alaska State Trooper and fired a rifle at the Trooper’s car.

The jury found him guilty of: Attempted Murder, four counts of Assault in the Third degree, Assault in the Fourth Degree, Misconduct Involving Weapons in the First Degree, Misconduct Involving Weapons in the Fourth Degree, Failure to Stop at the Direction of a Peace Officer, and two counts of Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree.

On Oct. 16, 2020, an Alaska State Trooper responded to a series of assaults on the residents of Gakona. When law enforcement attempted to stop Heinz’s vehicle, Heinz engaged in a lengthy chase for more than 30 miles. Eventually, Heinz fired a semi-automatic rifle at the Trooper, causing damage to the Trooper’s vehicle and a bystander’s vehicle. The defendant then fled the scene and remained at large for more than 24 hours.

Additionally, the jury found 13 aggravating factors applied in this case. The sentencing in this case is set for Feb. 13, 2026.

Assistant District Attorney Jordyn Caldwell prosecuted this case with assistance from paralegal Suzette Marey. The Alaska Bureau of Investigation investigated.

CONTACT: Assistant District Attorney, Jordyn Caldwell at Jordyn.caldwell@alaska.gov at (907) 761-5648.

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Department Media Contact: Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.

Due to resource constraints, we no longer post links to referenced records. Records filed in a federal court are readily available at Docket Search or PACER, and records filed in a State of Alaska court are readily available from the Alaska Court System (Trial Courts - Alaska Court System and Search for an Appellate Case). Contact Sam Curtis to request a referenced record that is not readily available from a court or on the internet, or contact law.recordsrequest@alaska.gov to submit a formal Alaska Public Records Act request.