The horrific case of mistaken identity led to police in Alaska to contact the parents of 29-year-old Justin Priest thinking that he had been killed in a horrific car accident.
Police woke up Karen and Jay Priest at 3am to tell them the horrific news, but when they turned up at Justin’s house later on in the morning they found him safe and well in his home, oblivious to what his parents had been put through.
"There are no words," Karen said. "We just kept staring at him."
The shock parents had driven to Justin’s home to break the news to his long-term partner Julia when they found him letting the dog out.
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Karen continued, telling a local newspaper: "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," Karen said. "You want it to be true, but you go, 'Am I hallucinating?' Justin didn't know what was going on."
Police apologised to the family for the horrific ordeal.
Chief Bryce Johnson said: "I'm almost speechless for words. This shouldn't happen."