A 41-year-old man has been charged with vehicle theft and driving under the influence. Danny Gonzales of Mansfield, Massachusetts was arrested around 3:30am on Sunday, after allegedly driving a Grand Aleutian van into a ditch off of Airport Beach Road.

According to court documents, a taxi driver witnessed the accident and reported the incident to the police after determining that Gonzales was drunk and unable to exit the vehicle. When an officer arrived at the scene, Gonzales allegedly told him that he was a Unisea employee and authorized to drive the van. Police established that Gonzales was in possession of keys meant for a Dunlap GMC pick-up truck. Those same keys had managed to fit into the stolen van’s ignition, according to Sgt. Mike Holman with the Department of Public Safety.

“A lot of these ignition systems, they wind up getting worn, and the keys are worn. So, when you put them in there, they can go in. And if you force it, it can actually start if it’s an older model.”

Holman adds that Gonzales had been approached by officers while at the Harbor View Bar and Grill and discouraged from driving. Gonzales’ blood alcohol level was .165 shortly after the time of arrest, over twice the legal level. He sustained no visible injuries from the accident, and there is no information currently available on damage to the stolen vehicle.

Gonzales is currently in police custody, and bail is set at $25,000.

This is Unalaska’s third auto theft in as many weeks.