Juneau resident Ryan West, 25, was indicted by a grand jury on Friday for second-degree murder following a single-vehicle crash that resulted in the death of 19-year-old passenger Gabriel Carte.
West will be arraigned Thursday in Juneau Superior Court.
The charge of murder in the second degree is an unclassified felony punishable by a fine of up to $500,000 and a maximum of 99 years in jail.
West has been jailed at the Lemon Creek Correctional Center with no bail.
The accident occurred June 6 near Mile 35 of the Glacier Highway.
According to a Juneau Police Department press release, officers arrived on the scene to find a green 1994 Dodge pickup truck with extensive damage to the undercarriage, roof and passenger side. A preliminary investigation revealed that West and Carte were in the vehicle when it lost traction on the roadway and drove into the ditch rolling over several times.
Police stated that Carte sustained fatal injuries as a result of being ejected from the vehicle. West was taken to Bartlett Regional Hospital and released with minor injuries. JPD Sgt. Paul Hatch said alcohol and speed were factors in the crash, which closed the highway for more than two hours.
West was on probation at the time after a Feb. 20, 2009 incident. A 19-year-old woman was seriously injured when she was dragged by West’s truck. He eventually pleaded guilty to second-degree theft and action of an operator, essentially leaving the scene of an accident. West had no prior felonies and was sentenced to prison time and placed on probation.
West had his probation revoked on June 8, and appeared in Juneau Superior Court on June 9 when the case was reopened after interviews with West concerning the fatal vehicle accident involving Carte.
At his next appearance on June 14 to meet with public defender Kevin Higgins, West broke down into tears and was visibly distraught as Higgins consoled him.
On Aug. 24, Judge Keith Levy accepted an adjudication deal between Higgins and District Attorney Dave Brower regarding the probation violations on a flat time sentence, which is to be disposed on Sept. 6.
Brower said at the time that charges were pending on the current case.
If West had completed his probation without any violations, the convictions would have been set aside.
Said Higgins at that time, “But we are here now with these pending petitions and what he has decided is to refuse probation, which everybody has a right to do in Alaska, and he will have no chance to get these convictions set aside. He will be sentenced to a flat time and will have to serve that time and won’t be on supervision when he gets out. He is not taking the easy way out here.”
West, a Juneau-Douglas High School football star and 2004 graduate, was the subject of an earlier Juneau Empire story in May of 2009. That story detailed his descent into drug addiction after a knee injury he suffered while playing football at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.
That dependence on pain pills led to an oxycodone addiction and resulted in West meeting a woman in a parking lot off Old Dairy Road for a fake drug deal he had set up. West had planned to steal money from a buyer. The woman passed the money through the window of his truck and he fled the scene going more than 40 mph while the woman clung to the side of the truck. That incident resulted in the woman being seriously hurt and West’s initial arrest on Feb. 20, 2009.
West stated in that interview that he hopes others learn from his mistakes and the dangerous addictive qualities of oxy. West stated he hoped young people in the community to know that drugs will take them nowhere.
“I would tell them it’s not worth it because later in life it could sneak up real quick on you and you could end up going to Lemon Creek, going to jail, doing something you never thought you would,” West said in that article.
• Contact reporter Klas Stolpe at 523-2263 or at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
Comments (19)
Add commentHeros
Maybe the empire should do a nice in depth article on athletes who actually didn't burn out right after high school. A star is someone who shines on and off the field. We have plenty of athletes who went on to be productive and still serve the great community of Juneau. It's nice Ryan says don't be like me, an article(s) of what youngsters could be would be more productive in highlighting our youths potential and how participating in sports can lay a solid foundation for life and career.
The drug addict murderer Ryan West
will get what he deserves as long as the DA doesn't get all soft and fall for the crying and begging for mercy.
He should have learned from his prior conviction that drugs/alcohol and driving don't mix. He knew perfectly well that driving drunk could end up in death and he did it anyway - along with a helpless passenger.
Don't bend over to pick up the soap!
Hero (heroine)
Does this article qualify as a good article about Juneau's athletes making good?
http://juneauempire.com/sports/2011-08-21/tarver-scores-first-goal-nau#....
Also, search the many articles about Carlos Boozer. He certainly is a good example for young people that look up to athletes.
Of course I wonder sometimes why we look up to athletes for anything beyond their athletic ability. Why should we expect athletes to have any more integrity than anyone else?
Football star
The paper doesn't say that West was kicked off the JDHS football team for drugs and alcohol usage, and put on probation
tragic in every way
So incredibly sad, one young life taken too soon, another living with the burden of this accident. And the families and friends of both, trying to carry on. My heart aches for all of them.
Burden?
Doesn't one need a conscience to carry any burden for their actions?
He didn't learn the 1st time around, he has at a memorial for a previous loss, he lied about who was driving.... I find it hard to believe he will carry any real burden just the inconvenience of jail assuming he does any real time.
My heart aches for Gabe's family and West's family but not even a twinge for West himself.
What a waste. He was a good
What a waste. He was a good kid before all of this. I think of how many people are addicted to these drugs. How many is enough before we get rid of these pain killers??? Even weed would better than oxycontin............ less addictive. Not a drug user though, hate taking pills!!! So sad for all involved.
You know, we have been taught
You know, we have been taught not to drink and drive since we were children. This isn't a new thing to him. He decided to make all the decisions he did because he truthfully thought he could get away with it. Its always shattering when your kid goes and snuffs out another life foolishly. I know it must be hard, but this Legal drug, is killing our communities, young and old. Whats tuff is Ive lost family to alcohol abuse... And its everywhere to be seen, legal and available tell 3 am at bars locally. I get that Uncle sam gets a significant chunk of the fees involved to bilk offenders with costly fines ect. Im sure the styate loves that, why doent the 500,000 doller fine go to the family of the boy that was killed??!!! So hell its almost a lucrative business to watch the community kill themselves and others. And our Government continues to let it happen with smiles and cheers. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE "DA" UNTIL SOMEONE MAKES IT FREAKING ILLEGAL?I am starting to turn my blame to the government. If you allow it, you condone it... so much more to say, but i'm to mad to write it.
AKJAMIN
Alcohol has a very, very long history, dating back to pre-civilization times. It's such a part of our culture, in fact, that most people of Caucasian descent and many of Asian and African descent have an enzyme in our mitochondria that helps process alcohol (everyone has an intracellular enzyme as well, because the human body normally produces a few grams of alcohol every day as a metabolic byproduct).
In fact, it's debatable whether civilization would have even existed without alcohol, as fermentation was, for a long while, one of the most effective ways to preserve and consume grain, while also allowing people to live in areas with contaminated water.
The fact that a few people abuse a substance doesn't mean it should be off limits for all.
A drug dealer is the most
A drug dealer is the most violent kind of criminal there is. This one has murder under his belt. The only true justice would be for him to have to live with the murder of his child. The second justice would be for his death. How many live are destroyed by drug dealers (doctors included). If the dealer was to take a base ball bat and beat a person almost to death, would he be looked at with as much compassion as Juneau looks at their drug dealers. The victim broken bones and all would heal a lot faster than they would with a drug addition. The war on drugs is stupid, it is time to make dealing a real offence and stop this slap on the hand bs. The first time dealer or person carrying in dealing amounts should not get less than five years in prison. Each time they are caught it should go up by double, time that must be served behind bars. As for doctors Oxy should not be prescribed to anyone who is not terminal I don’t care if the person drank their liver away. Doctors should start taking some responsibility in their part to. Who was his doctor? His name should be shamed at the least for his part in the dragging of the girl and I hope she sued him. Or drug him behind a truck. Parents if you kid is a dealer you should be ashamed they are a reflection of you, and he or she may just come along a parent like me who will go to prison for the murder or your family member to make sure my kids don’t have their lives destroyed by a worthless drug dealer.
What...
What the heck is this article saying? Bottom line is Ryan has left nothing but heart ache, broken bodies and now a death in his wake and he gets a quote saying "dont do drugs" in the paper or you end up like me. Like me, lets see, on probation after nearly killing a young lady by dragging her down the road and that wasn't a wake up call enough so now I killed a young man in his prime and lied to cover it up...you are lower than low Ryan...suck it up cupcake, I hope you get what you deserve. This "hands off" approach to justice in regards to our young people in Juneau has to stop!
I have been to prison. The
I have been to prison. The only reason why guys decide to do all their time and to skip probation is so they can party after they get out of prison. This is just how it is with all the guys that do go to prison. I am certain if this was a native we would not be having this discussion because the native would still be in jail for dragging the girl down the road. My dad would tell me if you are going to do the crime you have to do your time.
Ignorance and tragedy
Re wolfpack's comments: West is an Alaska native. I agree with hereswhatithink; this is tragic in every way. Society, the law and life have punished West and he will continue to pay in every possible way for his bad choices. Part of this tragedy is that we will all continue to pay as well. The so called "war on drugs" has failed. We need to completely rethink and revise our federal and State laws and policies. Alcoholism and drug abuse are diseases that don't discriminate based on race, age, sex, social status, education or wealth. Unfortunately, our society and legal system treats individuals very differently based on these same factors. Minoriites and low-income people are disproportionately represented in the prison population. We need to save money, lives and human productivity by effectively identifying and treating those who suffer from these diseases so that they don't end up in prison. Federal and state funding for prevention and treatment of alchohol and drug abuse should be prioritized.
Re rainforest
West will wake up in the morning, Gabriel Carte won’t. He stole her life, he stole a daughter, he stole, her future generations. You say he will pay in every possible way. Will he have his daughter stolen. Will he have his life stolen. No he will get 3 hots and a cot, he will get drug treatment he will have the option of an education. This was all his choice. While he is getting taxpayer provided drug treatment. Who is paying for the treatment of those he affected so violently. SO would you think his crimes were ok if they had been done to your family, would you believe he would pay in every possible way if it was your daughter that was dead. People like you are the reason drugs are so violent and rampant, because you say its ok you have a disease. That disease is contagious and kills quarantine and fire bomb them, before they get someone else addicted or kill again. May he be beaten and raped every day in prison.
Heros part II
It's easy to see people who have succeed in sports after high school, Boozer was a lazy example... We could point out Bentz, Rhea, Troutt, Dean who have done well at the next level, but that's not my point. My point is the high school stars who are productive members of their community, from police officers to union bosses, lawyers, doctors. Every child that plays sports dreams big, unfortunately only a very few will ever take it to the next level, and even less make a career out of it.
I was suggesting doing more articles about JDHS alumni athletes have moved on and found success outside sports. Not the Al Bundy's of the world like West who can't let go of what they were in high school.
I understand there are many more students who never played a sport or weren't "Stars" who have been very successful after high school, and I would welcome those articles too.
I would rather see the
I would rather see the articles spotlighting a JDHS SCHOLAR, who succeeded in life. Why are we so infatuated with athletes? News flash: Boozer will eventually get old, and unless he has some smarts, he will be a has been. Not slamming Boozer, as I really don't know him, but it is a fact of reality. Eventually, we will all get old and fat/out of shape/too old to exert. If you don't have the knowledge to do something else, you are in trouble. History has no shortage of examples of those. Is it great that they can succeed in sports? YES! But is the successful science nerd and less noteworthy? No! Celebrate all successes. If you find an athletic success who is also a successful science nerd, put that person on a pedestal!
Heros part III
Myleague. I provided an example of an athlete made good by linking to an Empire article about Sarah Tarver. I still maintain that Boozer is a great example. He isn't and wasn't lazy.
I think we should be asking why athletes are put on pedestals in the first place. Why not focus on successful academics? It makes sense.
There could be something disingenuous about focusing on athletes that went on to make good. It would give children the impression that sports actually helped them become upright citizens and successful in their careers to a larger degree than pursuits like academics and the arts.
Look at successful people and nine times out of ten it wasn't sports that gave them the wings to fly. I played football in high school and found it fun. It didn't, however, give me the wings for a successful career. I didn't learn anything more from football than I learned from skateboarding. I gained life skills in academic programs and through being taught to work hard by my parents. Sports didn't make me smarter or give me integrity or any of those platitudes that coaches like to use when justifying spending piles of tax dollars on jock programs.
Seems odd...
It seems odd that while If you ask the school district how many positive drug tests they have had they quickly claim “none” and yet on the other hand we have all of these JDHS students and alumni who keep cropping up in OXY related incidents.
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