Woman indicted for attempted murder

PALMER -- A grand has jury indicted Wasilla resident Lorayne S. Johnson, 43, on a charge of attempted murder. Johnson also faces four other felony charges stemming from a November incident in which Johnson is accused of running over 43-year-old Wasilla area resident Jesse R. Beebe, 43, with a Ford Bronco.

The indictment also charges area resident Tim Redington with two counts of third-degree felony assault against Beebe and an unidentified 16-year-old.

In addition to the attempted murder charge, the grand jury indicted Johnson on two counts of assault stemming from the Nov. 14 incident, for driving under the influence and for refusing to provide a breath sample to the Alaska State Troopers when she was interviewed and arrested later that morning.

Complaints filed in court by troopers after Johnson's arrest describe an early-morning brawl in a garage at Beebe's home in which both Beebe and Redington received numerous injuries. Troopers, Wasilla police and Mat-Su Borough's Wasilla ambulance responded to the Beebe residence just before 5 a.m.

Witnesses reportedly told troopers that a fight started between members of Beebe's family and Redington in the garage shortly after Johnson and Redington arrived in the Bronco. According to court documents, a 16-year-old boy told troopers he was punched in the face by Redington and a fight between Redington and Beebe ensued.

Trooper affidavits also include notes from interviews with Johnson in which Johnson said the fight started when Beebe and his family "jumped Tim for no reason" immediately after the pair arrived in the Bronco.

The melee escalated and Johnson allegedly ran over Beebe with the Bronco and threatened others with the vehicle. The indictment charges that Redington held a small engine over Beebe's head and threatened him while Beebe was lying on the floor after being run over by the Bronco. Johnson reportedly tried to run over Beebe again, and ran the Bronco into two witnesses. One witness reportedly told troopers he was afraid Johnson was going to kill them by squashing them against the wall. Johnson and Redington then left the scene in the Bronco.

Johnson was later arrested at the residence of Redington's daughter, Laurie, who had called for an ambulance for her father. Johnson is being held for trial at Hiland Mountain Correctional Facility in lieu of $250,000 bail and a court-approved third party custodian.