Anchorage pedestrian struck by vehicle and badly hurt near Merrill Field

A man suffered injuries police described as “life threatening” early Wednesday after being hit by an SUV near Merrill Field in Anchorage.

The pedestrian, whose identity hasn’t been released, was struck on Fifth Avenue between Orca and Concrete streets just after 5 a.m., police said.

He and another man had been crossing the six-lane divided highway from south to north when he was hit by a tan or gold SUV, Anchorage police spokesman MJ Thim said. The other pedestrian had already finished crossing and wasn’t struck.

Both men were wearing dark clothing, and there wasn’t a crosswalk where they were crossing, police said.

The driver of the SUV, a man, was alone in the vehicle, Thim said. He and the pedestrian who wasn’t hit both remained at the scene.

Police were still investigating the cause of the crash, though Thim said the driver’s speed doesn’t appear to be a factor. Alcohol and drugs have not yet been ruled out, he said.

No one — driver or pedestrians — has been arrested or charged with a crime.

Visibility on the road was poor at the time of the crash because of rainy conditions, Thim said, and the road was wet. Police issued a warning while officers were still on the scene about icy conditions on the Glenn Highway.

The crash closed all westbound lanes on Fifth Avenue, halting commuter traffic coming in from the Glenn Highway for about two hours. The road reopened just after 8 a.m.

In January, a man was found dead on Fifth Avenue near Tetlin Street, two blocks from the scene of Wednesday’s crash, after apparently being hit by a snowplow.