Police Beat

July 24, 2007

All information reported in Police Beat is obtained from police department press releases. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Alaska State Troopers

Misuse of Plates

July 21, 6:45 p.m.: AST stopped a 1988 Ford Mustang displaying AK plate EUK328 for speeding near Mile 86 of the Parks Highway. During subsequent investigation, the driver, Lloyd Leatherwood, 29, of Anchorage was arrested for misuse of plates and tampering with evidence. Leatherwood was remanded to mat-Su Pretrial where he was held on $2,000 bail.

July 22, 7:54 p.m.: Alaska State Troopers stopped a blue Chevy Astro Van for no front plate. Investigation revealed Jay Burkhart, 50, of Wasilla was operating the vehicle with a license plate that did not belong to that vehicle. Burkhart was issued a summons to appear in court.

Theft II

July 22, 11;55 p.m.: Alaska State Troopers were dispatched to Kepler-Bradley State Park in Palmer for the report of a theft from a vehicle. The victim reported numerous items stolen, including keys, a cellular telephone, a Martin acoustic guitar and an Arbor skateboard. Investigation revealed the vehicle had been left unsecured while the owner was gone. The loss is estimated to be $1,200. Anyone with information is asked to contact Alaska State Troopers at 745-2131 or CrimeStoppers at 745-3333.

July 22, 4:12 p.m.: Alonzo Gage, 48, of Wasilla reported to AST that his work vehicle had been broken into. Investigation revealed the theft occurred sometime between the evening hours of July 21 and 1:20 p.m. July 22. The theft of the power tools occurred at a construction site behind the Sacred Heart Church on Peck Street in Wasilla. Loss is estimated at $3,000. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact AST at 373-8300 or Crime Stoppers at 745-3333. Investigation continues.

Assault IV-DV

July 22, 12:14 a.m.: Alaska State Troopers responded to a report of an assault at mile 57.8 of the Parks Highway. Investigation revealed that Kendall Grant, 22, of Wasilla had allegedly assaulted a family member. Grant was arrested and transported to MSPT, where he was remanded without bail.

July 21, 2:10 p.m.: Alaska State Troopers responded to an assault in progress at a residence on South Frontier Drive in Palmer. Investigation revealed that Matthew Taylor, 26, of Palmer allegedly caused physical injury to a female family member, 24, by striking her with his hands and grabbing her so hard that bruising marks were left on her arms. Taylor also created the fear of imminent physical injury to the female family member by his actions. Taylor was remanded to MSPT with no bail.

Type: DUI

July 21, 2:40 a.m.: The AST DUI Enforcement Team stopped a vehicle near Knik Goose Bay Road and Sunset Avenue for a moving violation. The operator of the vehicle was identified as Jason S. Warth, 25, of Wasilla. Warth was found to be operating the vehicle while allegedly under the influence alcohol and with a revoked driver's license. Warth was arrested for felony DUI based on having three prior convictions for DUI within the last 10 years. Warth was remanded to Mat-Su Pretrial where he was held on $15,000 bail.

July 21, 10:45 p.m.: The AST DUI Enforcement Team stopped a vehicle at Mile 45 of the Parks Highway in Wasilla for erratic driving. The operator of the vehicle was identified as George E. Cowley, age 61, of Hawaii. Cowley was found to be operating the vehicle allegedly while under the influence of alcohol. Cowley was arrested for DUI and remanded to Mat-Su Pretrial where he was held on $5,000 bail.

July 22, 3:59 a.m.: Alaska State Troopers conducted a traffic stop on Bogard Road at Willawa Way for a traffic violation. The driver was identified as Lisa Sheldon, age 31, of Wasilla. Investigation revealed Sheldon was allegedly impaired by alcohol. Sheldon was arrested for DUI and transported to AST Palmer Post. Sheldon was requested to provide a sample of her breath and refused. Sheldon was remanded to MatSu Pretrial, bail was set at $1000.

July 22, 11:51 a.m.: Robert D. Simpson, 47, of Wasilla was arrested for alleged DUI and driving while license revoked after he was contacted at Abby Boulevard on a REDDI report. Simpson was transported to the Palmer AST Post where he was additionally charged with refusal. Simpson was later remanded to the Matsu Pretrial Facility. Bail was set at $1,500 and court approved third party.

DWLS

July 22, 3:16 a.m.: Troopers contacted Mathew Hood, 23, of Anchorage on the Northshore Road in Wasilla after a reported vehicle in the ditch. Investigation revealed Hood was driving the vehicle with a suspended license. Hood was issued a summons.

Violating Conditions of Release

July 22, 4 a.m.: Joselyn Hardwick, 23, of Anchorage was issued a summons for violating conditions of release after she was contacted on Northshore Road in Wasilla during a disturbance investigation.

Recovered Vehicle

July 21, 5:30 p.m.: Alaska Wildlife Troopers recovered a 2005 Ford F-150 that had been stolen from a residence in Anchorage on July 17. Investigation revealed the vehicle had been driven into the waters of Bodenburg Creek near the Knik River in Palmer. The vehicle had been shot several times with different caliber firearms and left in Bodenburg Creek sometime before 11:50 p.m. July 20. Anyone with information is urged to call the Alaska Wildlife Troopers at 907-761-7136.

NVOL

July 22, 1:19 p.m.: Alaska State Troopers stopped a red 2002 Chevy Cavalier after observing it being operated in an erratic manner on Bogard Road in Wasilla. Investigation revealed that the driver, Daniel Franklin Adair, 38, of Palmer, was driving without a valid AKOL. Adair was issued a uniform summons and complaint for NVOL. The Chevy was towed off scene due to the unavailability of a licensed driver.

Reckless Driving, DWLS

July 22, 9:37 a.m.: A resident reported a reckless driver to AST. AST stopped the vehicle near Mile 38 of the Parks Highway. Investigation found Donna Gill, 42, of Willow was allegedly driving a 1991 Cadillac recklessly on the Glenn and Parks Highways. Further investigation revealed that Gill was driving on a suspended driver's license. Gill was arrested and remanded into Mat-Su Pretrial on the charges of reckless driving and DWLS. Gill was held on $1,500 bail and a court approved third party.

Fatal accident

July 20, 5:36 p.m.: AST received a report of a motor vehicle collision involving a small passenger car and a four-wheeler near mile 155.5 of the Glenn Highway near Glennallen. The initial scene investigation determined that a four-wheeler driven by Brandon Cope, 17, of Anchorage had been hit by a 2003 Ford Focus driven by Daisy Przewozniak, 56, of Eagle River as the four-wheeler slid from a dirt road and onto the highway and into the path of the Ford. Przewozniak also had her four grandchildren in the vehicle, ages 7-11. Medics arrived on scene and transported Cope to Cross Roads Medical Center. Cope was pronounced dead as a result of injuries sustained in the collision while enroute to the hospital. Przewozniak and her grandchildren were also transported to the Cross Roads Medical Center but later released with only minor injuries. Everyone in the car reported to have been wearing their seatbelts. Next of kin was present at the scene. Cope was reported to have been wearing a helmet prior to the crash. Neither alcohol nor drugs are suspected to be a factor in this collision. Both vehicles were retained by troopers for inspection and this investigation continues.

Minor consuming alcohol

July 20, 6:26 a.m.: Alaska State Troopers received a report of an intoxicated female youth walking near S. Knik-Goose Bay Road and Vine Road. At 6:48 a.m., Troopers located the female on Knik-Goose Bay Road at approximately milepost 6.5. Investigation revealed the 17-year-old female of Wasilla was intoxicated. The female was issued a summons for minor consuming alcohol and released to her father.

Warrant arrest, NVOL

July 21, 1:30 a.m.: Troopers stopped a Ford Taurus at Mile 10 of the Talkeetna Spur for a moving violation. The driver was identified as Tamara Wheeler, 38, of Talkeetna. Investigation revealed that Wheeler did not have a drivers license. Wheeler also had a $250 warrant for her arrest for failure to appear in court on an NVOL charge. Wheeler was arrested and remanded into MSPT. The vehicle was released to a licensed driver

July 21, 12:10 p.m.: Alaska State Troopers arrested Terry Yacovelli, 44, of Wasilla on two outstanding warrants for $5,000 each. Yacovelli was contacted at a residence on Pioneer Peak in Wasilla. It was discovered that Yacovelli had an outstanding warrant for failing to appear for arraignment on the original charge of DWLS with $5,000 bail and another warrant for DWLS with bail set at $500,0 and court approved third party. Yacovelli was remanded to MSPT.

July 21: AST stopped a 1990 Ford Mustang displaying AK plate FEL886 near Mile 86 of the Parks Highway for speeding. Subsequent investigation revealed that the driver, Joshua Greene, 23, of Anchorage was driving with a suspended driver's license. Greene also had an outstanding $5,000 arrest warrant for failing to comply with probation. Greene was arrested and remanded to Mat-Su Pretrial where he was held on $6,000 bail.

Vehicle recovery

July 21, 2:21 a.m.: Ivan Rakhmistryuk, 40, of Wasilla reported his 2002 Chrysler Town & Country was stolen from Carr's grocery in Wasilla. On July 21 at about 2:47 p.m. the vehicle was recovered by AST at the Echo Lake public parking area near Mile 37.5 of the Glenn Highway. The vehicle had approximately $3,000 worth of damage. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact AST at 373-8300 or Crime Stoppers at 745-3333.

Warrant Arrest

July 21, 3:46 a.m. Shane Foley, 25, of Wasilla was arrested on an outstanding warrant for FTA on a original charge of DWLR after AST responded to reported disturbance on Pioneer Peak Drive in Wasilla. Foley was issued a summons for DWLR and transported to Mat-Su Pre-Trial with bail set at $2,000.

Death Investigation

July 20, 4:12 a.m.: Alaska State Troopers received a report of a deceased female at a residence off Vivian Drive in Wasilla. Investigation revealed that Tamara Banbury, 44, of Wasilla passed away after suffering a long illness. No foul play is suspected. The Next of Kin and the state Medical Examiner's Office was notified and Banbury was released to her family.

Wasilla Police Department

Following too closely

July 19, 5:16 p.m.: A vehicle driven by Elizabeth Ann Lee, 21, of Wasilla was following too closely and collided with back of a vehicle operated by Leslie Ashton Faglie, 20, of Wasilla. Lee's vehicle suffered damage to the front end and Faglie's vehicle had only minor damage to the back bumper. Lee was issued two citations, one for following too closely and the second for failing to provide proof of insurance.

Stolen bicycle

July 19, 6:24 p.m.: Wasilla Police stopped a suspicious vehicle at Knik Street and Park Avenue. The vehicle's occupants were seen loading a bicycle into the vehicle, which had been brought out from the woods on Centaur Avenue. Investigation revealed that the bike was stolen from a residence on Century Circle. One of the subjects in the vehicle, Travis J. Affleck, 26, of Wasilla had a $5,000 outstanding felony arrest warrant for failing to appear on an original charge of fraudulent use of an access device. Affleck was remanded to the Mat-Su Pretrial facility for the warrant and further charges against him for the theft are being investigated.

DUI

July 20, 12:48 a.m.: Robert N. Dean Jr,, 62, of Wasilla was stopped on the Parks Highway for allegedly speeding through a work zone with workers present. Investigation revealed Dean had been drinking alcohol that night and he exhibited signs of being under the influence of alcohol. Dean failed a series of field sobriety tests and was then arrested for driving under the influence. Dean submitted a breath sample to determine his breath alcohol concentration. He was then held at the Mat-Su Pretrial facility in lieu of $500 bail and he was ordered not to be released.

Palmer Police Department

VCR

July 16: Palmer police arrested Lawrence Woody Wood, 32, of Palmer for false information, violating conditions of release and misconduct involving a controlled substance in the sixth degree. Wood was contacted at a local bar and warned about being drunk on a licensed premise and provided his brothers name. Wood was conditionally released from an earlier charge with a court approved third party who was not present when Wood was contacted. Wood refused a PBT, which he was required to provide upon request as a condition of release. Wood had Marijuana on his person when arrested and was held at Mat-Su Pretrial on $5,000 cash only bail with conditions of no alcohol and not to leave Alaska.

Recovered bicycle

July 16: A 49-year-old Wasilla man turned over a bicycle to Palmer police. The bicycle had been recovered from behind Palmer Napa and will be held at the Palmer Police Department until the owner comes to claim it.

Reckless driving

July 17: Palmer police received a report of a white Ford Focus being driven recklessly westbound on the Old Glenn Highway. The vehicle was stopped and the driver was identified as Whitney B. Wheeler, 18, of Palmer. Wheeler was issued a summons to appear in court for reckless driving and released.

July 17: Palmer police received a report from several motorists of a vehicle driving recklessly, passing on the right and swerving into the oncoming lane, causing oncoming vehicles to serve to avoid a collision. Upon responding to the scene, officers observed the vehicle speeding, traveling 56 mph in a posted 35 mph speed zone. Officers stopped the vehicle and contacted James E. Crockett, 25, of Palmer. Following an investigation, Crockett was issued a summons for reckless driving and a citation for speeding and released at the scene.

Stolen trailer

July 17: Palmer police conducted a traffic stop on a truck pulling a trailer near Evergreen and the Glenn Highway. The vehicle had been reported as driving recklessly on the Glenn Highway inbound to Palmer. Officers discovered the trailer being pulled by the truck to be stolen from Anchorage about one year prior. The trailer was impounded and the information will be forwarded to the Anchorage Police Department.

DUI

July 17: Palmer police responded to 305 N. Valley for a noise disturbance. While investigating the disturbance, Nina M. Wilson, 43, of Palmer was contacted as her front seat passenger was hanging out the window yelling at occupants of the apartment building. Wilson was found to allegedly be under the influence of alcohol and was arrested for DUI. Wilson was remanded at MSPT in lieu of $1,000 bail.

July 20: James R. Brown, 42, of Palmer was arrested for driving under the influence after the vehicle he was driving was stopped following a Report Every Drunk Driver Immediately (REDDI) call. Brown was transported to Mat-Su Pretrial facility where his bail was set at $5,000 cash only, performance bond and a court approved third party.

July 21: Palmer police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for failing to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Airport Road and East Evergreen. Officers were in the area conducting extra patrols due to residents reporting drivers not stopping for the stop sign and out conducting extra DUI patrols. Officers contacted Jeffrey L. Lason, 41, of Palmer and found him to be under the influence of alcohol and on parole/probation for felony DUI. Lason was also found to have a revoked license and two prior felony DUI convictions. Lason was arrested for felony driving under the influence and driving while license revoked. He was remanded at MSPT in lieu of $20,000 cash only bail and a court approved third party. Lason was issued citations for proof of insurance and failing to stop at a stop sign. He was also held in lieu of no bail on his probation/parole violation.

Assault

July 17: Palmer police responded to a residence on East Blueberry to investigate a reported assault. The suspect left the area and one person was taken to Mat-Su Regional Hospital where she was treated and released. The investigation is continuing.

Runaway

July 18: Palmer police received a report of a 16-year-old female of Palmer who had run away from her parent's house earlier that night. The 16-year-old was entered as a runaway with the Department of Public Safety and attempts to locate her are continuing.

July 18: A 52-year-old mother from Palmer reported her 17-year-old son had run away from home during the night. The mother called back later and advised she had located her son.

DWLS

July 18: Palmer police arrested Tyesn M. Sampson, 21, of Wasilla for driving while license suspended after pulling him over for an equipment violation. He was remanded to Mat-Su Pre Trial where bail was set at $200 and no driving without a license.

July 18: Following a traffic stop for an equipment violation, Palmer police arrested Anthony J. Matika, 28, of Wasilla for driving while license suspended. Matika was issued a summons and released at the scene.

July 20: Palmer police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Lawrence A. Walker, 31, of Wasilla for an equipment violation. Investigation revealed Walker was driving with a suspended license and was in possession of marijuana. Walker was remanded at Mat-Su Pretrial on the charges of driving with a suspended license and misconduct involving a controlled substance in the fifth and sixth degree. Magistrate Wielkopolski set bail at $1,500 cash/corporate.

Collision

July 18: Palmer police received a report of a motor vehicle collision in the parking lot of the In and Out Deli. Investigation revealed that a red Jeep Cherokee operated by Kirsten J. Nelson, 14, of Palmer backed into a black Chevrolet pickup parked next to the Jeep and occupied by Shiela M. Whitaker, 47, of Palmer. No injuries were reported and the Chevrolet pickup sustained approximately $300 in damage. Nelson was issued a citation for failure to provide proof of insurance. Both drivers were issued participant accident report forms and released at the scene.

July 21: Palmer police responded to the intersection of West Evergreen Avenue and South Bailey Street for a motor vehicle collision. Investigation revealed Devin Donn, 22, of Palmer allegedly failed to yield to oncoming traffic while traveling north through the intersection. Donn collided with a vehicle operated by Kimberly Wittey, 16, of Palmer, who was traveling westbound on West Evergreen Avenue. Donn was issued a citation for failure to yield to a vehicle entering an intersection after stop.

Eluding

July 19: Palmer police attempted to stop a four-wheeler operated by Jerod W. Marostica-Mistler, 22, of Wasilla for reckless driving. Marostica-Mistler allegedly failed to yield and eluded officers. An arrest warrant for the man was obtaine, and he turned himself in at the Palmer Police Department. Marostica-Mistler was arrested for reckless driving, driving while license revoked and eluding in the first degree. He was lodged at Mat-Su Pretrial on $5,000 bail.

Theft

July 20: Palmer police received a report that a bicycle had been stolen from the parking lot of apartment complex on South Cobb Street. The estimated cost of the bicycle is $60. An investigation is continuing.

Warrant arrest

July 21: Palmer police arrested Casey Donn, 20, of Palmer on a $250 outstanding warrant for failure to appear at pretrial call on the original charge of theft in the fourth degree. Donn was contacted after he arrived on scene at a motor vehicle collision in Palmer. Donn was remanded at Mat-Su Pretrial.

July 21: Palmer police contacted Kendra G. Butts, 18, of Palmer in the lobby of the Palmer Police Department. Butts had an outstanding arrest warrant for failing to appear on an original charge of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident. Butts was remanded at MSPT in lieu of $500 cash only bail.

July 22: A 27-year-old Palmer woman reported someone had stolen approximately $4,000 in tools from inside her residence. Investigation continues.