ANCHorage, A.laska (KTUU) -- Following three days of discussions, a jury has requested to revisit some evidence after first indicating they were at an impasse regarding the 2019 case involving the deaths of two teens in Unalaska.
After getting the initial message indicating they were stuck, Judge Thomas Matthews opted to respect the jury's follow-up note requesting permission to revisit certain pieces of evidence. He then determined it would be prudent to adjourn for the night with plans to reconvene the next day.
"Based on the information from the second note, we assume you are still engaged in deliberations. Therefore, for now, I will disregard your statement about being unable to reach a verdict and allow you to proceed with your discussions," Matthews stated.
Dustin Ruckman, who is 24 years old, is charged with two counts of criminally negligent homicide. May 2019 crash where prosecutors claim he lost control of his vehicle while ascending Unalaska’s Mount Ballyhoo, resulting in the deaths of two teenagers inside the truck as it plunged approximately 900 feet off a cliff.
The video presented to the jury depicts Ruckman informing the police that he was tossed out of the vehicle; however, the two females—the 16-year-old Karly McDonald and the 18-year-old Kiara Renteria Haist—initially stayed inside until they were forcibly removed when the car began to fall.
During the concluding statements on Monday, prosecutors presented the jury with an Unalaska police video taken on the day of the event, depicting Ruckman precisely indicating where the truck had toppled over the edge at Ulakta Head.
Prosecutor Patrick McKay Jr. described Ruckman’s choice to operate his vehicle in that specific location as presenting "a substantial and unreasonable danger" considering the recognized hazards at hand.
"This is a limited space, once you reach the curve of that hill, you only have a brief moment and a tight area to maneuver your vehicle almost 90 degrees to the left to prevent going over that cliff," McKay explained.
Nevertheless, Defense Attorney Julia Moudy contended that for Ruckman’s behavior to be considered a significant and unwarranted hazard, he must have been aware that his conduct constituted a criminal offense with an evident potential for causing fatality. However, she pointed out that operating a vehicle in that specific region is actually within legal bounds.
The crucial aspect of that directive is that it must involve a risk, such that failing to recognize this risk—meaning the danger of death—would represent a significant departure from what a prudent individual would consider appropriate under the circumstances preceding the incident, rather than afterward," explained Moudy. "The legal system doesn’t impose penalties based on information revealed later.
The jury will resume their discussions on Thursday at 8:30 AM at the Nesbett Courthouse.
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