Alaska News

1 dead, 2 children seriously injured in Sterling Highway crash

Update: Kayla Rodasti has been identified by Alaska State Troopers as the woman killed in a two-vehicle collision on the Sterling Highway Tuesday evening. The wreck also left two children with life-threatening injuries, troopers said.

Trooper spokesperson Megan Peters did not have an update on the children's condition as of late Wednesday morning.

Troopers received a report of the crash around 5:40 p.m. Tuesday. Responders completely closed the highway at Mile 146, in the area of Happy Valley, 22 miles northwest of Homer, on the Kenai Peninsula, for one hour, after which the highway was partially opened and traffic began alternating, Peters wrote in an email.

Rodasti was reportedly driving a Subaru, without any passengers, when she lost control of her vehicle on what troopers describe as "icy roads" and struck a Kia SUV transporting two adults and three children. Rodasti was pronounced dead on the scene, according to Peters.

Peters said between the Bureau of Highway Patrol troopers and local patrol troopers, five troopers were on scene, as well as local emergency medical responders.

Peters added the scene was cleared by 11 p.m.

Medical responders took the injured to the hospital in Homer, where two of the "young children" were airlifted and flown to an Anchorage hospital "due to the extent of their injuries," Peters said.

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Troopers are still investigating the accident and no charges have been filed. Peters also said, as is standard with any fatal collision, a toxicology screening will be done on both drivers.

Peters was unable to provide any additional information late Wednesday morning.

Original story: At least one person died and several people were injured Tuesday evening in a two-vehicle wreck on the Sterling Highway north of Homer, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Troopers received a report of the crash around 5:40 p.m. Responders closed the highway at Mile 146, in the area of Happy Valley on the Kenai Peninsula. The highway remained blocked at 7:15 p.m., according to an email from Megan Peters, troopers spokeswoman.

Few details about the crash were available Tuesday night. Troopers had not identified the person killed in the crash. Peters did not immediately respond to request for comment.

In her email, Peters asked motorists to avoid the area if possible.

Megan Edge

Megan Edge is a former reporter for Alaska Dispatch and Alaska Dispatch News.

Tegan Hanlon

Tegan Hanlon was a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News between 2013 and 2019. She now reports for Alaska Public Media.

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