Mom charged over teen party

PALMER — A woman Alaska State Troopers say allowed teenagers to drink the night before a fatal minivan rollover has been charged criminally.

Amy Thompson, 35, faces seven counts of furnishing alcohol to minors and 16 counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Her first court appearance was scheduled for May 10, according to court records.

The wreck happened Aug. 4, 2010, at around 10:30 a.m. on S. Cameo Drive, which is off of Point MacKenzie Road. None of the nine teenagers aged 14 to 16 in the vehicle were wearing seat belts, according to a trooper press release from the time. Rowdy J. Taber, 15, was behind the wheel when he lost control. The van rolled multiple times, partially ejecting two of the teens, six of whom required hospitalization. Taber died.

According to documents Palmer Assistant District Attorney Jarom Bangerter filed in the case, Thompson arrived on the scene before troopers did. She said she had brought seven of her son’s friends to her nearby cabin for a birthday party the night before. She was planning to drive them all home.

“Amy Thompson stated that she allowed the teenagers at the party to drink a couple Mike’s Hard Lemonades, which were at the house when she got there. She estimated that they drank about 24 of them,” Bangerter writes, based on trooper interviews.

She also said she smoked marijuana with them and that there was vodka and whiskey in the freezer.

After the party everyone went to sleep. In the morning, the teens went for a drive. Taber’s autopsy later showed no signs of intoxication,” Bangerter wrote.

“Amy Thompson stated that she told the parents of the friends invited to the party that there was going to be drinking at the party and that the parents were fine with that,” Bangerter wrote.

At first Thompson told troopers she hid the keys from the kids and didn’t know how they got them.

A month later, “Amy Thompson said she held the keys up in her hand while telling (her son) he shouldn’t drive, then (her son) took the keys out of her hand and they all got in the van,” according to Bangerter.

All 23 of the charges Thompson faces are misdemeanors. Court records show she did not appear at her May 10 court hearing. No further hearings have been scheduled.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.