Two Alaska State Troopers, Jason Woodruff and Sgt. Joseph Miller, have been charged with assault after mistakingly using excessive force on a man they thought was someone else, according to authorities. The incident occurred on May 24 in Soldotna, Alaska, where the troopers believed they were dealing with Garrett Tikka, who had a warrant for failing to serve a 10-day sentence. However, it was actually Garrett’s cousin, Ben Tikka, inside the vehicle. Ben Tikka suffered injuries including muscle lacerations, a fractured shoulder, head cuts, and a dog bite during the arrest.

While announcing the charges, officials mentioned that body-worn camera footage of the arrest would not be released until after the criminal case concludes. The Department of Public Safety Commissioner, James Cockrell, expressed shock at the incident, saying he had never witnessed anything like it in his 33 years with the department. Both troopers have been placed on administrative leave and are facing one count of misdemeanor assault.

The troopers were responding to a call about possible illegal camping in Soldotna when they encountered the vehicle associated with Garrett Tikka. Despite Ben Tikka denying any warrants against him, the troopers used force to remove him from the vehicle. Miller smashed a window, deployed pepper spray, kicked and punched Tikka, used a stun gun multiple times, and allowed a police dog to bite him even after confirming his identity. The dog has since been removed from service.

The troopers had wrongly arrested Ben Tikka on various charges, including assault fears against troopers, which were later dismissed by the Kenai District Attorney’s Office. Deputy Attorney General John Skidmore noted that excessive force charges against police officers are rare in Alaska, with this case being a unique instance. Miller defended the force used, stating it was reasonable under the circumstances, while Woodruff claimed to follow his training in deploying the police dog on Tikka.