Information for this report was taken from publicly available law enforcement records and contains arrest and citation information. Anyone listed in this report is presumed innocent.
On Feb. 12 at about 9:20 p.m., Debra Krause, 60, of Soldotna, called 911, reporting that she was lost and her car was stuck in a ditch. 911 operators were able to determine her location in Captain Cook State Park, near Mile 39 of the Kenai Spur Highway. Troopers arrived and discovered that Krause had driven past several signs indicating that the road was ending and was a few hundred yards past the end of the road on an ATV trail. Kraus indicated she had been drinking alcohol at a restaurant in Kenai and was driving to her home south of Soldotna. She told troopers she believed she was stuck on an unknown road somewhere in the Echo Lake Road area, which is about 40 miles in the opposite direction. Investigation determined that she was impaired by alcoholic beverages. Additionally, she was found to be on conditions of release for a prior driving under the influence arrest that included that she is not to consume alcohol. She was arrested for driving under the influence and violating conditions of release and taken to Wildwood Pretrial Facility.
On Feb. 13 at about 5:00 p.m., Soldotna Alaska State Troopers responded to an address on Walker Street in Sterling to attempt to locate Chester Kimball, 26, of Sterling. Kimball was located and arrested on three outstanding warrants and was also found to be in violation of his conditions of release. Kimball was taken to Wildwood Pretrial Facility without bail on the warrants and was also charged with violating conditions of release.
On Feb. 13 at 6:13 p.m., Alaska State Troopers received a report of a suspicious vehicle stuck in a driveway near Mile 141 of the Sterling Highway. The homeowner reported that the male in the vehicle had stated he had an arrest warrant when the homeowner contacted the vehicle driver. When troopers arrived, the vehicle driver fled on foot into the woods. Troopers and Alaska State Parks Rangers searched the woods and located the driver hiding under some trees. The driver was identified as Royce Holm, 35, of Anchorage. It was determined that Holm had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for violating his conditions of release in a previous criminal case. Holm was taken to the Homer Jail without bail on the warrant and new charges of second-degree criminal trespass and violating conditions of release.
On Feb. 5 at 7:26 p.m., Alaska State Troopers were contacted by the Kenai Police Department regarding a stolen dirt bike that had been recovered. Troopers met with Kenai police and identified Adam Garrant, 30, of Soldotna, as a suspect. On Feb. 8 at about 7:00 p.m., Garrant met with the case officer at the troopers post and admitted to knowingly selling the stolen dirt bike. Garrant was charged with second-degree theft (by receiving), a class C Felony. Garrant was remanded on this charge when arrested in connection with other trooper cases. Alaska State Troopers thank Kenai police for their assistance in this case.
On Feb. 16 at 5:16 p.m., Alaska State Troopers received a report from Wildwood Pretrial Facility that one of the inmates, Gwendolyn Hamby, 44, of Anchorage, was found to have methamphetamine in her possession. Hamby was charged with first-degree promoting contraband and fourth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance.
On Feb. 17 at 12:11 a.m., Soldotna Alaska State Troopers received the report of an overdue snowmachiner in Seward. The complainant said that Cody Slemp, 40, of Seward, was last seen around 2:30 p.m. Feb. 16. The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, Bear Creek Fire Department, and numerous volunteers responded to assist in the search. At about 2:10 p.m., Cody was discovered deceased in the vicinity of Bear Lake. Next-of-kin was notified.
On Feb. 17 at 11:56 p.m., Kenai police conducted a traffic stop on Willow Street near Airport Way. Matthew J. Broussard, 45, of Nikiski, was arrested for fifth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance and violating conditions of release and taken to Wildwood Pretrial Facility. Paul J. Jacobsen-Wilson, 35, of Sterling, was arrested for fourth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance and taken to Wildwood Pretrial.
On Feb. 16 at 9:16 p.m., Kenai police conducted a traffic stop on the Kenai Spur Highway near Shotgun Drive. Tabor A. Pyhala, 18, of Soldotna, and Simon Z. Newcomb-Goodermote, 18, of Kenai, were arrested for sixth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance and taken to Wildwood Pretrial.
On Feb. 14 at 10:24 a.m., Kenai police responded to a local business. After investigation, Gwendolyn J. Hamby, 44, of Anchorage, was arrested and taken to Wildwood Pretrial for eluding, two counts of tampering with physical evidence, reckless endangerment, driving while license suspended, and a $2,000 Anchorage Alaska State Troopers felony warrant for failure to appear for arraignment on the original charge of forgery.
On Feb. 14 at 9:58 p.m., Kenai police responded to a residence on Penny Circle. After investigation, Clara D. Smagge, 52, of Kenai, was arrested and taken to Wildwood Pretrial for fourth-degree assault (domestic violence) and interfering with reporting domestic violence.
On Feb. 14 at 11:11 p.m., Kenai police responded to a local park. After investigation, Anthony D.H. Kitchen, 32, of Kenai, was arrested and taken to Wildwood Pretrial for driving under the influence and reckless endangerment.
The Kenai Police are investigating a shooting that left one woman dead Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 18, at a residence on 4th Avenue in Kenai. Officers responded to the residence in the area of 4th Avenue to the report of a shooting at about 3 p.m. During the course of a short search for the suspect, Kaleidoscope Elementary School was notified and placed in a lock-down status. A suspect has since been taken into custody, and the investigation is ongoing. The investigation has included the response and assistance of multiple Alaska State Troopers, including a K-9 unit. Anyone with information about this incident is requested to call the Kenai Police Department at 283-7879.
HOMICIDE UPDATE – 8:30 AM, February 19
At this time, the investigation into the homicide on 4th Avenue is ongoing. The deceased has been transferred to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy. Next of kin notifications have been made. The identity of the deceased is Rita M. Green, 51, of Kenai. Philip S Green, 22, of Kenai, the son of Rita Green, has been arrested for first-degree murder and taken to Wildwood Pretrial Facility.
On Jan. 7, Alaska Wildlife and State Troopers arrested Mason Eugene Baldwin, 42, of Soldotna. Baldwin, who was on felony probation for first-degree burglary, was taken to Wildwood Pretrial Facility on one felony charge of fourth-degree misconduct involving controlled substances and two misdemeanor charges of driving while license suspended and possession of burglary tools. Baldwin was also remanded on a felony arrest warrant. On Feb. 15, after extensive follow-up investigation regarding items found in Baldwin’s possession on Jan. 7, Alaska Wildlife Troopers charged Baldwin, who was still incarcerated at the Wildwood Pretrial, with a felony charge of second-degree theft.
On Jan. 10, Alaska Wildlife Troopers and Alaska State Park Rangers conducted a joint patrol that resulted in the arrest of Robert E. Carroll, Jr., 47, of Homer. Carroll was taken to Wildwood Pretrial on charges of drug-related driving under the influence and third-degree theft. On Feb. 12, after follow-up investigation of items seized from Carroll on Jan. 10, Alaska Wildlife Troopers charged Carroll with one felony count of second-degree theft.
On Feb. 18 at 2:06 p.m., Alaska State Troopers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a blue Toyota Tundra near the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Monroe Street in Seward. Troopers observed the driver, George Via, 50, of Seward, to be driving the vehicle and had prior knowledge that Via did not have a valid operator’s license. Via led troopers on a short vehicle pursuit and ultimately came to a stop near the intersection of 5th Avenue and A Street in Seward. Via was arrested for second-degree failure to stop at the direction of a peace officer and given multiple citations. Via was then taken to the Seward Community Jail, where he was remanded and released on his own recognizance.
On Feb. 18 at about 6:20 p.m., Alaska State Troopers responded to the Duck Inn in Soldotna to conduct a welfare check. Contact was made with William “Buck” Michael Hollandsworth, 52 of Soldotna. Investigation revealed that Hollandsworth had an outstanding warrant out of Palmer for driving while license revoked. Hollandsworth was arrested and taken to Wildwood Pretrial Facility on $50 bail.
On Feb. 18, Kenai police Brian L. Andry, 27, of Nikiski, on an Alaska State Troopers no bail arrest warrant on original charges of two counts of fourth-degree assault. Andry was taken to Wildwood Pretrial Facility.
On Feb. 18 at 4:08 p.m., Kenai police made contact with a vehicle in the ditch on Dolly Varden Street and the Kenai Spur Highway. After investigation, Daniel W. Seeley, 36, of Kenai, was arrested for driving under the influence, fourth-degree misconduct involving a weapon, and violating conditions of release and was taken to Wildwood Pretrial.
On Feb. 14 at 2:36 p.m., an individual came to the Soldotna Alaska State Troopers Post, reporting that he had been scammed out of several thousand dollars from an entity fraudulently posing as the Publisher’s Clearing House. Troopers warn the community of the several different means of scams and remind everyone not to give personal information to untrustworthy sources.
