Alaska News

Troopers: Soldotna woman on bicycle dies after swerving onto highway and colliding with a truck

Alaska State Troopers say a Soldotna woman was killed late afternoon Thursday when a truck struck her she rode her bicycle on Sterling Highway.

An online dispatch says Vanessa Wilkes, 50, died in the collision.

Initial reports about the fatality started coming into the Soldotna Public Safety Communication Center shortly after 4 p.m., with witnesses stating a crash between a truck and a bicyclist happened near mile 91.5 of the Sterling.

Troopers' investigation determined Wilkes was riding her bike beside the highway "when she swerved into the lane of traffic and was struck by a Ford F350 commercial vehicle being operated by Charles Kuntz, age 40, of Nikiski," the dispatch says.

Central Emergency Services medics pronounced Wilkes dead at the scene.

Troopers say the Sterling was closed for two hours. The highway reportedly reopened at 6 p.m.

Wilkes family has been told about her death. The State Medical Examiner's Officer requested her remains be sent for an autopsy.

Troopers say their investigation continues.

Jerzy Shedlock

Jerzy Shedlock is a former reporter for Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2017.

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