Wasilla man indicted for taking emergency vehicle

A 30-year-old Valley man was indicted Friday and scheduled for a May 2 arraignment in Palmer Superior Court on felony and misdemeanor charges involving a Mat-Su police/emergency services vehicle.

According to a grand jury indictment, on Sept. 29, 2016, Joshua Phillip Carte drove off with a police/emergency vehicle, a Class C felony. He is also charged with second-degree trespassing for entering or removing the same vehicle on the same date, a Class B misdemeanor.

The indictment didn't state exactly where the incident took place other than "near Wasilla" or what department the vehicle belonged to. However, jurors interviewed an Alaska State Trooper, a Mat-Su EMS battalion chief and former borough official before announcing the indictment. Bail was set at $2,500 cash/corporate plus a court-appointed third party.

According to CourtView documents, Carte also has open charges of first-degree armed robbery, fourth-degree theft, third-degree assault, and fourth-degree criminal mischief stemming from a Sept. 28, 2016, incident in Wasilla. His bail was set at $25,000 cash performance and a court-appointed third party on those charges. A jury trial is scheduled to begin May 15 on the Sept. 28 incident