Northwest Digest
Teen reaches plea deal in boat burglaries
JUNEAU - A teenager indicted on 14 burglary charges in July agreed Monday to plead guilty to two. He accepted responsibility to pay restitution for all of the boat break-ins connected to him in the Auke Bay area this spring.
Devin W. Moorhouse, who will turn 19 in less than two weeks, is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 21 on two counts of first-degree burglary. His plea agreement left sentencing open to the discretion of Superior Court Judge Larry Weeks.
During the plea hearing, Weeks told Moorhouse that each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and a $100,000 fine. "You face up to 20 years in jail and a $200,000 fine," Weeks said.
The indictment charged Moorhouse with 14 counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of second-degree theft and one count of third-degree criminal mischief.
The complaint alleged Moorhouse took items including alcohol and weapons between March 5 and March 28 from boats at DeHart's Marina.
Assistant District Attorney Jack Schmidt told the judge that Moorhouse was connected to "some 30-odd" burglaries, and restitution was still being figured. The total appeared to be "roughly between $7,000 and $10,000," he said.
In answer to a question from Weeks, Moorhouse said he was aware he will be responsible for restitution for all of the burglaries, not just the ones he is pleading guilty to.
One dies, two injured in crash near McGrath
ANCHORAGE - One man died and two men were injured in a plane crash 35 miles northwest of McGrath.
A search-and-rescue team from the Alaska Air National Guard found the men Sunday.
The survivors spent two nights at the wreckage of their De Havilland DHC-3 Otter under heavy forest fire smoke and severe weather before they were spotted by crews with the 210th Rescue Squadron.
Brandon Crezee, 28, Kenai, died in the crash. Alaska State Trooper spokesman Greg Wilkinson said he was sitting in the right-side pilot's seat.
The plane was piloted by Ronald Kakeldey, 65, Anchorage, who was hospitalized. The other passenger was Keith Weymiller, 19, Seattle, who was treated and released.
Survivors told rescuers that they tried to fly the plane under severe weather but hit treetops.
The survivors were flown to Anchorage and taken to Alaska Regional Hospital for treatment, according to Air Guard spokesman Maj. Mike Haller.