Mat-Su

Palmer man killed in head-on Glenn Highway crash

A 73-year-old Palmer man was killed in a head-on collision on the Glenn Highway early Sunday, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Troopers were called to the scene of the crash at Mile 37.5 of the highway in Palmer, close to Echo Lake.

Rufelia B. Blackmer was driving southbound on the highway in a 2008 Volvo XC90 when the car crossed the center line, hitting a 2015 GMC Sierra driven by Gary L. Saloka heading northbound, troopers said in an online dispatch Sunday. 

Saloka was declared dead at the scene.

A passenger in the Sierra was flown to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage with serious injuries.

Troopers reported no arrests or charges filed in connection with the crash but said an investigation is ongoing.

Michelle Theriault Boots

Michelle Theriault Boots is a longtime reporter for the Anchorage Daily News. She focuses on in-depth stories about the intersection of public policy and Alaskans' lives. Before joining the ADN in 2012, she worked at daily newspapers up and down the West Coast and earned a master's degree from the University of Oregon.

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