From the blotter: Missing people found safe, one jailed

WILLOW — Twice in the same day, troopers and a helicopter were called out to the backside of Hatcher Pass, and both times the missing person they were looking for was returned home safe.

According to a trooper press statement, 11:12 a.m. Friday was the first time they were called out.

Troopers say Robert Morrison, 56, of Kasilof, had called while he was out hunting in the area the day before and was last heard from at 6 p.m. just before his cell phone died. Troopers say Morrison wasn’t dressed for the rainy weather. They sent out two troopers, three volunteers and a helicopter.

They found Morrison at 2:57 p.m. a half-mile away from where he’d started. He was mildly hypothermic. He was also wanted on a warrant for failure to comply with alcohol screening on a DUI conviction. Trooper say he was jailed at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility. Jail records Monday afternoon show he had since bailed out.

An hour after they’d found Morrison, at 4:09 p.m., troopers were called out again for another search, this one for an overdue berry picker.

Troopers, the local search organization MATSAR, Willow medics, the same helicopter and family of the missing picker — Lilia Hughes, 51 — went out searching.

Troopers say they found Hughes unhurt and returned her to her family.

Loaded driver

was armed

WASILLA — Alaska State Troopers say a 50-year-old man is facing a laundry list of charges after he drove to his friend’s house drunk and assaulted him.

Troopers were called to the home on Gosling Circle at 6:12 p.m. Saturday and found that Ralph T. Souder, 40, Wasilla, had driven drunk to his friend’s house with a firearm in the car and assaulted his friend.

Souder was jailed at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility on $10,000 bail, charged with violating the conditions of his release, burglary, assault, weapons misconduct and drunken driving. Jail records Monday afternoon show he had since bailed out.