Jerel J. Redfox, 21, was in the southbound lane at roughly Mile 304 of the highway when he was hit by a 2008 Toyota Corolla driven by 55-year-old Janice S. Krenzke of Nenana, troopers said.
Redfox was lying in the southbound lane when he was struck, according a trooper report.
His mother, Carol Redfox, says that's not what she heard. "The troopers talked to my son's girlfriend and told her that he was walking," she said.
Trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said she hasn't talked to investigators and couldn't say what the latest developments might be. "The investigation is just going to have to take its course," she said.
Troopers suspect Redfox had been drinking, the trooper report said.
The basketball player grew up in Mountain Village and has lived for the last several years with his girlfriend in Nenana, family members said. The couple have a 2-year-old daughter, Desiree.
Redfox would often return to Mountain Village to hunt moose, seals and birds and for subsistence and commercial salmon fishing, his mother said.
"He was very spontaneous. Outgoing. Always had a smile," said Carol Redfox, who is in Anchorage for medical and dental visits.
Jerel had been visiting Anchorage, too, with his girlfriend, Theresa Lord, who was training for AmeriCorps, his mother said. The couple returned to Nenana on Saturday, Carol said.
"I think he started walking the highway to try to hitch a ride," she said.
Redfox was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, according to troopers. He was hit about half a mile from town, Karen Lord said.
The family is planning a funeral for Redfox in Mountain Village.
On his MySpace page, Redfox listed his parents as his heroes, along with his brother and sisters and "My beautiful girls, Desiree and Theresa."
His daughter turns 3 next month.
Read The Village, the ADN's blog about rural Alaska, at adn.com/thevillage. Twitter updates: twitter.com/adnvillage. Call Kyle Hopkins at 257-4334.
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