PALMER — A driver who ran a red light in downtown Palmer hit and seriously injured a 41-year-old woman and two teenagers crossing the street Thursday, police say.
The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. when Rebecca Szumiesz, 18-year-old Sean Szumiesz and a 16-year-old girl were just over halfway through a crosswalk on West Arctic Avenue, according to Palmer police Chief Lance Ketterling. The street is about a block east of the Glenn Highway on the northern edge of downtown.
Driver Jamie E. Hohn, 25, of Wasilla was cited for running the light as she turned left from Arctic onto South Alaska Street, Ketterling said. She was alone in the car.
Two ambulances took the injured pedestrians to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.
Police haven't found any indication of "alcohol, drugs or any other type of distractions" such as a cellphone, he said, though the investigation continues.
Hohn was cited for speeding in Anchorage and Palmer twice each year in 2013 and 2014, according to a state courts database.
Officers hadn't established how fast she was going Thursday, Ketterling said.
More investigation needs to be done before police know whether Hohn will face criminal charges for not only running a red light but also causing injuries, he said. "It's too early to say where it's going to go. Right now, there's nothing as far as criminal charges."
Hohn couldn't immediately be reached for comment.