A UniSea processor is facing a felony drug charge for possession of khat -- an East African plant that’s chewed to induce euphoria and alertness.
According to the charging documents, a UniSea security officer discovered a sandwich bag containing the leafy green plant under 28-year-old Yusuf Aadan’s bunk in late June. The security officer confiscated the bag and handed it over to the Unalaska Department of Public Safety. A state crime lab identified it as khat, and Aadan was arrested on August 3.
Diesel accumulating behind first row of boom (USFWS)
The State of Alaska has filed criminal charges against Aleut Enterprise, a subsidiary of the Aleut Corporation, over a fuel spill in Adak.
The spill happened in January 2010, during a fuel transfer from the tanker Al Amerat to Adak Petroleum’s shore-based storage facility. A state investigation concluded that the fuel storage tank was overfilled, flooding a nearby stream.
Now, the state is alleging that Aleut Enterprise and Michael Baker, the facility manager, were to blame for the spill.
Magone Marine pulled 70,000 pounds of driftnet off the Bangun Perkasa. Credit: Eva Lund
The “pirate ratship” is no more. The Coast Guard seized the F/V Bangun Perkasa almost two years ago while it was illegally driftnetting in the North Pacific, a practice that’s banned by United Nations moratorium because of its indiscriminate harvest. Now, the ship is on its way to the scrapyard.
Two fishermen are facing multiple assault charges for allegedly beating up and stabbing a coworker at the Grand Aleutian hotel on Thursday. Erik Najera, 34, and Sergio Gomez, 32, are both crew aboard the F/V Sea Fisher.
The charging documents allege that the pair attacked the victim in his hotel room at the Grand, hitting him with bottles and beating him before stabbing him with a fishing knife. The alleged victim suffered multiple injuries, including a broken nose and leg.
The track of the M/V Bangkok Bridge from Feb. 19-21, 2013. (Courtesy of Rick Sypeck/Marine Exchange of Alaska.)
The Coast Guard has wrapped up its investigation of the M/V Bangkok Bridge, an 874-foot cargo ship that lost engine power in Unimak Pass this winter. They've levied a $75,000 fine against the ship's owner, K-Line, for failing to report a hazardous condition.
Federal law states that you have to notify authorities in the event of a central engine failure. The Coast Guard investigation found that the Bangkok Bridge made no attempt to notify authorities about its disabled state.
Unalaska’s Coast Guard detachment had to contact the vessel as it drifted on the edge of the eastern shipping lane, and ask if it needed assistance. The crew was able to refire the engines and make it to Summer Bay, where they anchored and completed repairs.
Former Unalaska Assistant City Manager and current Bristol Bay Borough Manager John Fulton is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday on charges of driving under the influence, and refusing to submit to a chemical test.
According to charging documents, Fulton was attending the Unalaska High School graduation when he was warned by an off-duty officer that he was too intoxicated to drive. He then allegedly left the celebration and drove to the Grand Aleutian Hotel, where two officers found him unresponsive in his truck, with the keys in the ignition and the engine running. Fulton allegedly failed field sobriety tests, and was transported to the police station.
A PenAir employee is facing a felony charge for allegedly stealing packages flown in from Anchorage.
Nasser Gamueda, 23, is a ramp agent for PenAir in Unalaska. He's accused of intercepting a laptop computer that was being shipped to town on a mail or cargo flight.
The person who bought that computer online called public safety when tracking data showed that their package vanished after leaving Anchorage. Director Jamie Sunderland says the computer manufacturer helped investigate.
A day-long standoff with a man who verbally threatened Unalaska police officers with guns came to a peaceful resolution Wednesday evening. Robert Cash, 54, surrendered and was taken into custody.
The incident started Tuesday night, at about 6 p.m. Following up on a drunk driving tip, a police officer followed Cash to a house on General's Hill. Public safety director Jamie Sunderland says Cash was visibly intoxicated.
