Driver faces manslaughter charge in '09 Midtown crash

Steven Craig Rasic, 53, was also charged last week with reckless driving in the Aug. 20, 2009, crash near Fireweed Lane that ejected Michael VanRoten, 30, from his car and killed him. The two men's vehicles had sped off together from a stoplight moments before the wreck, authorities said, though police on Tuesday said they remain unsure whether the crash was the result of a street race.

"Some of the witnesses believed them to be racing, while others just felt they were going too fast," police spokesman Lt. Dave Parker said.

Rasic, of Eagle River, was in a Pontiac GTO heading east on Fireweed about 9:15 p.m., according to police. VanRoten was driving a Ford F-150 pickup in the same direction, and both vehicles stopped for a red light as they prepared to turn north on the Seward Highway.

Police said the light turned green and both vehicles accelerated north on the highway.

Witnesses reported that about 100 to 150 yards from the intersection, the vehicles collided, causing the truck to roll several times and eject VanRoten, who was not wearing a seat belt, according to police. His body came to rest face down in the center northbound lane and he was later pronounced dead at the scene. Rasic was not injured, police said.

Witnesses reported that the vehicles tore off from the light and were nearly side by side when Rasic's black GTO fishtailed and slammed into the pickup, causing it to roll, said Emily Tyrrell, a police spokeswoman. Rasic, however, denied that the vehicles were racing and said that, although he started to lose control of the car, it was the truck that hit him, she said.

"What Rasic told the police is not what witnesses say," Tyrrell said. "Rasic was telling them that they both took the turn a little too fast and started to lose control, but one of the statements from the witnesses was saying that it looked like they were going almost 100 mph and they heard screeching."

Both men were alone in their vehicles.

Tyrrell said police took blood samples from Rasic to test for drugs or alcohol, though the results were not released Tuesday. Rasic was not charged with drunken driving.

The indictment against Rasic, filed July 28, alleges that he drove his vehicle "in a manner which created a substantial and unjustifiable risk of harm" and that the alleged reckless conduct caused VanRoten's death. Rasic has been issued a summons to appear in court next week to be arraigned.

"It's a terrible tragedy for everybody involved in this accident," Rasic said in a statement Tuesday night. "The news reports fatal accidents every day and no one really expects to be involved. It's devastating for everybody, including my family. My family continues to grieve and continue to pray for the VanRoten family."

VanRoten's sister, Kimberly VanRoten, 29, also died on the Seward Highway in an unrelated wreck last summer. Kimberly VanRoten was killed in a July 4, 2009, head-on collision just south of Portage.

Find James Halpin online at adn.com/contact/jhalpin or call him at 257-4589.