Local EMS respond to two car collisions on Parks Highway

ACCIDENT AT MILE 133—  EMS responds to a car crash on the Chulitna Bridge on the Parks Highway. Photo courtesy of New Hampshire resident Ron Mulley

CHULITNA— Medical service responders from Trapper Creek, Talkeetna, Willow and Sunshine as well as Alaska State Troopers were called out on Friday to respond to two unrelated car crashes with injuries on the Parks Highway.

The first accident occurred shortly before noon at mile 133, near Chulitna. Nineteen-year-old Linda Ahkiviana from Fairbanks lost control over her 1998 Ford Explorer when speeding around a curve. The car rolled into the southbound lane, where it struck head-on a minivan driven by 67-year-old Dorsey Hightower of Florida. Talkeetna and Trapper Creek emergency responders had to take the roof of the Ford Explorer to extricate Ahkiviana and her male passenger.  Troopers say that Ahkiviana was transported to the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.  Her passenger was medivaced with an air ambulance from the accident scene with serious injuries.  Hightower and his passengers were not injured.  Both vehicles are a total loss.

A few hours later, troopers, Willow and Sunshine EMT’s responded to another crash with injuries at mile 88 of the Parks Highway, near Sheep Creek Lodge. Troopers say Linda Atwell, age 60 of Texas, was driving northbound when the car’s left front tire blew out, causing the vehicle to swerve to the left.  The car crossed the center line, struck a 2011 Subaru Outback, which crashed into a ditch.  The Subaru was driven by Rosa Kim, age 28 of Anchorage.  Rescue personnel had to take the doors off the car to get all four occupants out of the Subaru. They were transported to Mat-Su Regional for non-life threatening injuries.  Atwell and her passenger were not injured.  Both vehicles were a total loss.