JUNEAU POLICE DEPARTMENT
6255 ALAWAY AVENUE JUNEAU, ALASKA 99801
Business (907) 586-0600
Fax (907) 463-4808
Integrity, Courage, Service, Respect
INFORMATION RELEASE
Date: 2011-08-29
From: Juneau Police Department
Case or Incident: #110606-020
UPDATE 8-29-2011
On Friday August 26, 2011, Ryan WEST was indicted by a Grand Jury for Murder in the 2nd degree in conjunction with this case. The charge is an unclassified felony, which is punishable by a fine of up to $500,000 and a maximum of 99 years in jail. West was lodged at the Lemon Creek Correctional Center with no bail.
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Last night at approximately 9:30 pm, the Juneau Police Department received a 9-1-1 call reporting a single motor vehicle accident at 35 mile Glacier Highway. The caller said one man had been ejected from the vehicle.
When officers arrived they found a 1994 green Dodge pickup truck with extensive damage to the undercarriage, roof, and passenger side. The preliminary investigation revealed that 25-year old Juneau resident Ryan WEST and 19-year old Juneau resident Gabriel CARTE were in the vehicle when it lost traction on the roadway and drove into the ditch rolling over several times. CARTE sustained fatal injuries as a result of being ejected from the vehicle and WEST was transported to the Bartlett Regional Hospital ER for evaluation of minor injuries where he was later released.
CARTE?s remains were sent to the Anchorage Crime Lab for an autopsy. The vehicle was impounded as evidence.
Case remains under investigation.
All factual allegations contained in this release are based upon preliminary investigation and are subject to change or clarification as the investigation continues. Any charges reported in this release are merely accusations and all persons named in this release are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.