Press Release

Anchorage Man to be Sentenced for 2013 DUI Homicide

December 15, 2014

Twenty-four year-old Lane Wyatt is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday December 19th in Anchorage Superior Court. Wyatt has entered guilty pleas to murder in the second degree, assault in the first degree, and driving under the influence. Wyatt faces a sentencing range of 15 to 30 years.

His convictions stem from a June 30 vehicle collision at the intersection of Debarr and Boniface. At approximately 5:00 a.m., Wyatt was driving northbound on Boniface when he ran a red light and collided with a vehicle driving westbound. The other vehicle was driven by 20-year-old Citari Townes-Sweatt, who was killed in the collision. Four other passengers in Townes-Sweatt's vehicle suffered serious injuries and were sent to nearby hospitals. Three passengers inside of Wyatt’s vehicle also sustained injuries.

According to officers at the scene, Wyatt appeared to be impaired and a later blood test showed he was nearly two and a half times above the legal limit. Wyatt admitted to drinking five beers and three shots at Chilkoot Charlie’s earlier that morning. Townes-Sweatt was acting as the designated driver for her group and had no alcohol or drugs in her system.

Superior Court Judge Kevin Saxby will sentence Wyatt at the conclusion of the hearing, which is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. on December 19th.

CONTACT: Assistant District Attorney Will Taylor @ (907) 269-6373 or william.taylor3@alaska.gov at the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office.

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.