Feds charge Wasilla man with child porn possession

MAT-SU — Federal prosecutors announced this week that they have charged a 75-year-old Wasilla man with child pornography crimes.

Neil Cary Applequist was charged Nov. 19 with one count of possessing child pornography.

Prosecutors say the case dates back to March when Applequist was found to own a zip disk containing depictions “of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.”

The case landed in federal court because the images were either transported across state or national boundaries or were produced using materials that were.

Prosecutors say child porn statutes provide for a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison with three years of probation and a $250,000 fine.

Using reverse on highway not good

WASILLA — Backing up on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway is, it appears, just as much of a bad idea as it sounds.

According to an Alaska State Trooper press release, at 9:03 a.m. Monday officers were called to Palmer-Wasilla Highway near Seward Meridian Parkway.

Shawn Caswell, 49, of Wasilla, driving a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox, had apparently missed her turn into a business driveway there. So, troopers say, she backed up on the highway.

Troopers say Laura Cruse, 34, of Wasilla, was behind Caswell and managed to get her 2006 Chevrolet pickup stopped.

But the 1997 Ford F-150 behind her wasn't so lucky — swerving to avoid the stopped vehicles, it clipped Cruse's mirror, then slid into Caswell's Equinox.

Troopers estimate damage to each pickup at $500 and damage to the Equinox at $1,500. No one was injured.

Caswell was cited, troopers say, for “failure to properly execute a right turn.”

Bus with children hit

WILLOW — Troopers say a North Pole woman rear-ended a school bus with children on board going 30 miles per hour Wednesday.

Nobody was hurt in the crash, which happened at around 2 p.m. at Mile 80.5 Parks Highway.

Troopers say Brittany Mayes, 21, of North Pole, was the at-fault driver. She was northbound at the time in her 1998 Dodge Intrepid. Troopers say she was unable to stop for the bus, which had its flashing red lights on.

The bus driver, Dale Jacobs, 63, of Willow, had 15 children on board at the time. Troopers say medics checked them all for injuries and found nothing.

Damage to the school bus was minor. Mayes' Intrepid sustained $3,000 damage, according to a trooper estimate. She was cited for speeding.