The man Homer Police allege crashed his Volvo into the Sustainable Wares building on Dec. 7 has apparently skipped town — even after being hospitalized for a neck injury. Homer Police last Friday charged Daniel A. Grosser, 36, of Anchorage, with reckless driving, failure to give immediate notice of an accident, leaving the scene of an accident and not having liability insurance.

According to a criminal complaint by Homer Police Sgt. David Shealy, Grosser and a woman, Adella Pirkle, had been in the Volvo about 8:40 p.m. Dec. 7 when it lost control on the Ocean Drive curve near the Beluga Lake Lodge heading east. The Volvo hit the corner of the Sustainable Wares building, spun around, and the rear slammed into the front, breaking windows and collapsing part of the lower wall.

Shealy came across the Volvo right after the crash and found a man and a woman, later identified as Grosser and Pirkle, standing by the car. Shealy checked to make sure no one else was in the car, and when he returned to the couple, Shealy said they split up. Shealy chased Grosser across Ocean Drive, but lost him in the woods near the Alderfer Group building.

Police got a tip that Grosser stayed at the Refuge Chapel on Pioneer Avenue. Shealy found Grosser passed out under a drum set, breathing but nonresponsive. Homer Volunteer Fire Department medics took Grosser to South Peninsula Hospital.

Officer Larry Baxter interviewed Grosser at the hospital on the morning of Dec. 8. Grosser was in a hospital bed wearing a neck brace. Grosser said he didn’t remember what happened and he had been in the back seat of the Volvo. He said he didn’t think he had been that drunk when he was admitted to the hospital.

Shealy later interviewed Pirkle, who said Grosser had been driving. Shealy said when he found the Volvo it smelled of alcohol. Grosser told Baxter he would visit the Homer Police station later, but he never showed up. A HVFD staff member reported seeing Grosser hitchhiking north near the Sterling Highway. 

As of Dec. 15, Gross hadn’t claimed his car from the impound yard. Police have requested a warrant for his arrest.