Mat-Su

Wasilla man arrested after hanging out of car window and firing gun while 13-year-old steered, troopers say

A Wasilla man was arrested after he hung out of his car window and fired his gun at another car while a 13 year-old steered the vehicle late Friday night, state troopers said in an online report.

Troopers and the Wasilla Police Department responded to a report of gunfire near Wiliwaw Way in Wasilla at 11:23 p.m., troopers saisd.

An investigation found that another driver, who wasn’t identified, thought he had seen “suspicious activity,” and tried to contact Joshua D. Payton and his 13-year-old passenger.

Then, Payton drove away, troopers said. The unnamed driver followed.

Payton then “partially hung out of the window and fired multiple rounds at the other vehicle,” while he had the child take over steering.

A car was hit by gunfire at least once, troopers said.

Payton was arrested on criminal mischief, assault and weapons misconduct charges after the incident and the child passenger was released to a guardian, the report said.

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No other details were immediately available Saturday.

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Morgan Krakow

Morgan Krakow covers education and general assignments for the Anchorage Daily News. Before joining the ADN, she interned for The Washington Post. Contact her at mkrakow@adn.com.

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