Wasilla man indicted for November crash fatality

PALMER -- A Wasilla man accused of driving drunk and causing the death of a four-year-old boy in November was indicted Wednesday by a grand jury at Palmer Superior Court, after spending the past two-and-a-half months recuperating in a hospital.

John Knauss, 42, was indicted on one count of second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault and one count of driving while

intoxicated.

The indictment alleges that Knauss caused the death of Floyd Mack on Nov. 27, and serious injury to Mack's mother and sister, Linda Mack and Jeanette Siebert.

Alaska State Troopers from Palmer reportedly responded to the vehicle accident at Mile 46.5 Parks Hwy. at 10 p.m. that night.

Investigation at the scene revealed that a 1968 Ford truck, driven by Knauss, was traveling east on the Parks when he reportedly crossed the center line and struck the front left side of a 1985 Chevy truck, driven by Linda Mack, 35, of Wasilla.

Jeanette Siebert, 15, and Floyd Mack, 4, were passengers in Mack's vehicle. Following the impact, Mack's truck reportedly burst into flames, trapping all three passengers inside.

Linda Mack and Jeanette Siebert were pulled from the burning vehicle by passersby, according to police reports at the time. Floyd Mack did not survive the crash.

According to trooper reports, officers found open beer containers in Knauss' truck, causing them to suspect alcohol was a factor.

Earlier this week Linda Mack was released from a Seattle hospital where she underwent skin graft treatment for her burns. Lloyd Siebert, Mack's brother, said she spent more than a month at the Alaska Native Medical Center after the accident, then was transferred to the Seattle Hospital.

Jeanette Siebert was also hospitalized for several days at the Alaska Native Medical Center, then treated as an out-patient for burns at the Seattle hospital, Lloyd Siebert said.

As of last week Knauss was at Alaska Providence Medical Center where he has been since the accident. Numerous fractures in his face, arms and legs led to a stay in the hospital's intensive care unit for several weeks after the crash.

Assistant District Attorney Bill Estelle said hospital staff declined to give troopers information about Knauss' condition this week. Hospital staff were reportedly told in written notice by attorney Rob Hertz to discontinue updates to the troopers. It was uncertain Wednesday whether Knauss remained hospitalized or if he had been released, Estelle said.

A $100,000 arrest warrant was issued after the indictment Wednesday, which allows troopers to arrest Knauss whether he remains at the hospital or not.

"He is considered both a flight risk and a danger to the community," Estelle said.

At the time of the accident, Knauss was supposed to be at a half-way house serving a sentence for a previous DWI conviction in October 1999 that resulted in severe injuries to Joe Miexner of Wasilla.

Knauss reportedly walked away from Glenwood Center July 10 in Anchorage, and though police were issued a warrant for his arrest, Knauss was not located.

An acquaintance of Knauss' who wished to not be named told the Frontiersman Knauss went by the name "Michael" and he eluded police by moving from place to place north of Wasilla. The person said he worked at being "low profile."

Knauss' conviction record begins in Alaska with a forgery charge in 1992. He was convicted in a 1993 Juneau case charging him with selling contraband, court records show. He was jailed on additional larceny and theft charges until 1995. Twelve days after being released from probation for those convictions, he reportedly crashed into Joe Miexner and was convicted of drunk driving and assault charges.

While awaiting sentencing for that crime, Knauss was caught allegedly trying to steal a Wasilla man's truck as it warmed up in the driveway. At the time of his arrest, police reported that Knauss was intoxicated.

When Knauss was sentenced for the DWI-assault convictions, the other his two charges were factored into two-year sentence.