Grand jury hands down manslaughter indictments in 2 cases

Grand Jury manslaughter indictments were handed down against 25-year old Darin J. Cleveland of Anchorage, and 29-year old Bryon Michael Melton of Willow in Palmer District Court Sept. 30. Each was indicted on three charges stemming from separate accidents in Wasilla earlier this year.

Cleveland is alleged to have been the driver in an early New Year’s Day two-vehicle head-on collision near the KGB-Vine Road intersection in Wasilla. The accident claimed the life of 57-year old Pyotr Kudryn of Palmer and seriously injured two others. He is charged with one count each of manslaughter, DUI and driving on a suspended license.

Police say Melton is responsible for the Feb. 8 death of 15-year old Austin Edenfield as the youth and friend walked along Pittman Road in Wasilla. Melton is charged with one count each of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and driving without a valid license.

According to court documents, Melton was in court earlier that same morning finalizing a deal with prosecutors that allowed him to avoid a potential lengthy jail sentence. Court records show Melton pleaded guilty in Palmer court to a misdemeanor charge of attempted second-degree theft. He was free to go after getting sentenced by judge David Zwink to 30 days in jail with 30 days’ credit for time served. No additional court dates have been scheduled.

Alaska State Troopers state Cleveland was driving south in the northbound lane of KGB Road when he struck Kudryn, who was heading north. Kudryn was pronounced dead at the scene. Two passengers in Cleveland’s vehicle were seriously injured. Ella Williams, 26, and Gertrude Ivanoff, 25, both of Wasilla, were taken to Anchorage and Mat-Su hospitals with what troopers described as life-threatening injuries. Neither were wearing seat belts and were partially ejected from the vehicle. He is scheduled for an Oct. 17 arraignment in Palmer Superior Court.