A seafood truck went out of control on the slick Seward Highway Friday afternoon and hit an SUV, leaving the SUV driver dead, Alaska State Troopers said.
Alex Schmelzenbach, 30, of Sterling was driving the Pacific Star Seafoods International flatbed truck northbound around Mile 12.5 of the highway, near Seward, when he lost control around 4:47 p.m., troopers wrote in an online statement. The truck crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with a 2019 Ford Escape SUV driven by 58-year-old William Hagood of Palmer.
Hagood was extracted from his SUV by members of the Bear Creek Volunteer Fire Department and taken to Seward Providence hospital, troopers said. He died of his injuries less than four hours later, troopers wrote.
Schmelzenbach declined medical help at the crash, troopers said. The investigation is ongoing.
The scene of the crash required what troopers described as a “lengthy clean-up.” Roughly 200 fresh, whole cod had spilled from the seafood truck, and troopers said about 40 gallons of diesel fuel also spilled on the roadway.