A Juneau man said he was just trying to find a spot to park his truck after a long day of traveling. Ramming into Gov. Bill Walker’s garage door was just an accident.
Alexander Oliphant, 49, made his first court appearance Monday in the Juneau District Court where city public defender Thomas Wagner entered a not-guilty plea on his client’s behalf.
Oliphant is charged with driving under the influence Thursday and later refusing to submit to an alcohol breath test. Oliphant was found sitting in his truck stuck in construction fencing outside the Capitol with his dog by his side.
Municipal Prosecutor Sherri Layne told Judge Keith Levy the city did not plan to ask for a cash bail, but did want make sure Oliphant did not drive without proper licensing. Layne said Oliphant told the officers who arrested him that he was under the influence of alcohol, mushrooms and methamphetamine.
Oliphant admitted in court to having a warrant for his arrest in Washington, but he shook his head in disagreement with Layne as she read from a police report.
Outside the courtroom, Oliphant spoke with the Empire and explained that he is currently homeless and had no intention of harming anyone in Walker’s home. He even walked out of the truck after the incident to make sure no one was injured. He said he had just returned from a trip on a ferry and consumed a lot of whiskey and was making poor choices. However, he denies using drugs the night of the crash, although he did say he owns a cannabis farm in Washington, although that could not be confirmed by press time.
Both charges Oliphant faces are class A misdemeanors that carry a maximum of one year in prison and a $5,000 fine. He is scheduled to appear again in court for a pretrial hearing July 11.
• Contact reporter Paula Ann Solis at 523-2272 or paula.solis@juneauempire.com.
