Two Anchorage residents are dead after a vehicle collision on the Kenai Peninsula.
Alaska State Troopers responded to a crash Wednesday evening just north of the Sterling-Seward Highway interchange. Troopers say a pickup truck traveling north on the Seward Highway lost control near milepost 38 and collided head-on with a motorcoach in the southbound lane.
The driver of the pickup truck, 57-year-old Leonard Weimer Jr., and passenger, 56-year-old Kelly Brown, were declared dead at the scene. Their dogs, Lulu and Achilles, were rescued from the pickup truck and brought to Soldotna Animal Hospital. Cooper Landing Emergency Services says both dogs are healing under foster care.
The driver of the motorcoach sustained minor injuries and declined medical assistance. The Seward Highway was closed for three hours following the accident. Troopers noted black ice in the area around the time of the crash.
The National Safety Council suggests motorists traveling this winter drive slow and follow at least five seconds behind the vehicle ahead. The council also says hitting the brakes on ice could cause your vehicle to skid. If your vehicle is sliding, do not overcorrect your steering.
Be extra careful on bridges, overpasses and through tunnels, where ice forms more quickly. To view the latest road conditions in Alaska, visit the Alaska 511 website.
