Anchorage

Police: Driver in fatal Glenn Highway crash was going over 90 mph

Anchorage police reported Friday that one of the drivers involved in a fatal Glenn Highway collision on April 3 was driving over 90 mph.

The crash claimed the lives of 38-year-old Derek Monk and 25-year-old Thomas Kobel.

Around 4:30 p.m., Monk's Dodge Durango, traveling north on the highway near the Eklutna exit, crossed the median and hit a Hyundai Santa Fe driven by Kobel head-on, police said.

"The cause of this collision is still under investigation; however, the Anchorage Police Department Major Crash Investigation Unit has determined that speed was a significant factor in the severity of this collision," APD communications director Jennifer Castro said.

Monk's car was going at least 90 miles per hour and the loss of control at such a high speed led to the "catastrophic head-on collision," Castro said.

Monk's 15-year-old son, who was also riding in the car, was taken to a hospital with injuries police described as "non-life-threatening."

Kobel's wife, 21-year-old U.S. Airman Lindie Kobel, was taken by helicopter to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Castro said Lindie is still recovering at the hospital.

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The speed in the crash highlights an increasing trend of lawlessness concerning speeding on the Glenn Highway and other roadways, Castro said. As a result, the police department will be employing a zero-tolerance approach to speeding enforcement, she said.

"Drivers should understand that this zero tolerance means exceeding the speed limit by any amount will result in a citation," she said.

Jerzy Shedlock

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

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