Texting on Sterling Highway costs police officer his job
Published 1:30 pm Tuesday, July 21, 2026
An Alaska police officer has lost his job for texting while driving on the Sterling Highway in Soldotna.
Former Seward Police Department officer Matthew Susko, 40, was sentenced July 16 and given a fine of $600 for driving with his screen operating by Magistrate Judge Christina Teaford.
On Nov. 8, 2024, Susko was tasked with transporting a 15-year-old female from Seward to Soldotna following the 15-year-old’s arrest.
“During the 102-mile nighttime drive in poor road conditions, Susko was observed on body-worn camera actively manipulating his cell phone or having the active screen viewable for a total of 15 minutes,” according to a release from the Alaska Department of Law.
The department said during those 15 minutes, Susko drove an estimated distance of 12.5 miles. The longest observed incident was four minutes during which Susko was either texting or using an app with one hand, both hands, or holding the phone with one hand with the active phone screen within his line of sight.
As part of his guilty plea Susko permanently relinquished his Alaska Police Officer Certification and agreed to enter his name into the National Decertification Index. Susko’s relinquishment of certification permanently bars him from working as a law enforcement officer in Alaska.
Although law enforcement officers may be permitted to drive while operating a mobile device in certain circumstances, including during an emergency, Susko’s behavior fell outside that limited exception.
While the offense of driving with screen operating typically carries a maximum penalty of $500, Susko violated the law while in a Highway Safety Zone in Soldotna, which permits a higher fine.
