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| Justin Priest: Juneau police tell wrong parents son died | Justin Priest: Juneau police tell wrong parents son died |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Police in a small Alaska town mistakenly told a couple their son had been killed in a car accident, leading to a joyous scene just hours later. | Police in a small Alaska town mistakenly told a couple their son had been killed in a car accident, leading to a joyous scene just hours later. |
| In Palmer on Thursday, at about 03:00 an officer told Karen and Jay Priest their son Justin, 29, had been killed. | In Palmer on Thursday, at about 03:00 an officer told Karen and Jay Priest their son Justin, 29, had been killed. |
| The devastated couple drove to Justin Priest's girlfriend's home to inform her, when he greeted them at the door. | The devastated couple drove to Justin Priest's girlfriend's home to inform her, when he greeted them at the door. |
| In fact, another man with the same name but different birthday was killed. The Juneau police apologised for the error. | In fact, another man with the same name but different birthday was killed. The Juneau police apologised for the error. |
| After hearing the horrible news, the Priests telephoned far-away relatives, then drove to Anchorage to tell their other son in person, they told Alaska Dispatch News. | After hearing the horrible news, the Priests telephoned far-away relatives, then drove to Anchorage to tell their other son in person, they told Alaska Dispatch News. |
| Then, the grieving family set out to inform Justin's girlfriend of five years. | |
| At her home at about 05:30, Justin Priest said he heard a knock on the door as he was getting ready to walk his dog. Still bleary-eyed from sleep, he was surprised to see his family. All erupted with joy, praising Jesus and embracing one another in tears. | At her home at about 05:30, Justin Priest said he heard a knock on the door as he was getting ready to walk his dog. Still bleary-eyed from sleep, he was surprised to see his family. All erupted with joy, praising Jesus and embracing one another in tears. |
| "It opens and right here is Justin. I don't even see it but Jay is sobbing. It doesn't compute to me. Then I see him," Mrs Priest told the Associated Press news agency. "You want it to be true, but you go, 'Am I hallucinating?' Justin didn't know what was going on." | "It opens and right here is Justin. I don't even see it but Jay is sobbing. It doesn't compute to me. Then I see him," Mrs Priest told the Associated Press news agency. "You want it to be true, but you go, 'Am I hallucinating?' Justin didn't know what was going on." |
| The Juneau police have apologised for the anguish, however momentary. | The Juneau police have apologised for the anguish, however momentary. |
| Justin Priest told the Alaska Dispatch that the family's relief and joy is tempered by the awareness another family lost a son. | Justin Priest told the Alaska Dispatch that the family's relief and joy is tempered by the awareness another family lost a son. |