The Alaska State Troopers reported the following incidents. Any charges reported are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Motor Vehicle Collision

COOPER LANDING—Feb. 6 at 2:00 a.m., a Trooper, along with Moose Pass and Cooper Landing Volunteer Fire Department responded to mile 39 of the Seward Highway following a report of a motor vehicle collision with injuries. An investigation revealed 28 year old Oliver Smith of Anchorage was traveling southbound on the Seward Highway in a 2003 Subaru Legacy. Smith failed to negotiate a slight curve and drove into the ditch and collided with a guardrail. The vehicle overturned and slid on the roof for approximately 60 feet before coming to rest in the northbound lane. Alcohol is not a factor in this case and Smith reported he was wearing his seatbelt. The vehicle was towed from the scene.

Motor Vehicle Collision

GIRDWOOD—Feb. 7 at 3:45 p.m., Troopers from the Bureau of Highway Patrol Kenai Peninsula Team-Girdwood responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision near mile 107 of the Seward Highway. Troopers contacted the driver of that vehicle who was identified as Sydney West, age 21, of Anchorage. An investigation revealed that West was driving her 1997 Toyota Tacoma, when she lost control of her vehicle causing her to collide with a rock wall. West was wearing her seatbelt and was not injured in the collision. Her vehicle was able to be driven from the scene.

DUI

COOPER LANDING—Feb. 7 at approximately 8:30 p.m., Troopers contacted a tan 1998 Ford pickup at the Sunrise Inn in Cooper Landing. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Christopher Smith, age 36, of Moose Pass. An investigation revealed Smith had operated the vehicle while he was impaired by alcohol. Smith was placed under arrest, transported to the Seward City Jail, and remanded. Bail was set at $500.

DUI, Refusal

GIRDWOOD—Feb. 12 at 6:20 p.m., Troopers from the Bureau of Highway Patrol, Kenai Peninsula Team-Girdwood, responded to a report of a vehicle in the ditch near the intersection of Alyeska Highway and Crow Creek Road in Girdwood. Troopers contacted the driver of that vehicle who was identified as Konstantin Bartnitski, age 47, of Girdwood. Investigation revealed that Bartnitski was operating a motor vehicle while under the influence and impaired by alcohol. He was arrested and transported to Girdwood AST where he refused to submit to a chemical test. Bartnitski was remanded into the custody of the Anchorage Jail on charges of Driving Under the Influence and Refusal to submit to a Chemical Test with a bail of $2,500.

Search and Rescue, Avalanche Deaths

SPENCER GLACIER—Feb. 13 at 12:33 p.m., Troopers in Girdwood received a report of an avalanche and two entrapped snow machine riders in the Grand View area near Spencer Glacier. Girdwood AST, Cooper Landing AST, and US Forrest Service responded to the scene by riding snow machines 15 miles to the location. Girdwood Fire Department responded with the Alaska Railroad by rail to the scene, and AST Helo 1 responded to the scene from Anchorage. An investigation revealed James L. Bowles, age 57 of Anchorage and President of Conoco Phillips, was buried in the avalanche for approximately 45 minutes before several friends using beacons were able to locate him. Bowles was pronounced deceased on scene. Alan L. Gage, 39, of Anchorage and an employee of Conoco Phillips, was also buried by the avalanche and could not be located. It is believed that Gage was not wearing a beacon. The search was cancelled due to dangerous conditions. A search effort commenced dependant upon weather conditions in the next few days to recover Gage's body.

Motor Vehicle Collision

MOOSE PASS—Feb. 14 at approximately 12:20 p.m., Troopers responded to mile 39 of the Seward Highway for the report of a single vehicle crash. An investigation revealed James Wisher, 61, of Ninilchik, was traveling North on the Seward Highway in a black 2005 Ford Pickup. Wisher lost control of the vehicle on icy roads, struck a snowberm, and overturned. All passengers in the vehicle reported wearing their safety belts and received no injuries. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $8,000. The vehicle was towed from the scene by Hamilton's Towing. Alcohol was not a factor.

Warrant Arrest

GIRDWOOD—Feb. 15 at around 4:30 p.m., the Troopers Bureau of Highway Patrol, Kenai Peninsula Team-Girdwood and Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted a vehicle in the ditch near mile 101 of the Seward Highway. An investigation revealed that John D. Ross, 29, of Anchorage, had an outstanding $1,000 warrant for his arrest. The warrant was for failure to appear on the original charge of Theft Two and Theft Three. Ross was arrested on the warrant, remanded at Anchorage Jail and held on $1,000 bail.

Girdwood Man Succumbs to Injuries from Seward Highway Crash

Paul Wiersema, 43, of Girdwood recently succumbed to his injuries sustained in a vehicle crash on the Seward Highway on Jan. 29. Wiersema was driving a 1998 extended cab Toyota Tacoma northbound on the Seward Highway when it collided with a trailer that had crossed into his lane of traffic. Kenneth Roberts Jr., 28, of Kenai, was driving a 2007 GMC truck towing the heavy-duty dual axle trailer loaded with a full-sized Ford truck. Initial investigation revealed the trailer clipped a guardrail on the side of the road and began to fishtail, crossing over into the oncoming lane of traffic and into Wiersema's path. The left side of the trailer collided head-on with the Tacoma near mile 66.5. Wiersema was extricated from the vehicle and flown to Providence Hospital. His passenger, 31-year-old Oreste Lenatti of Italy, was also transported to Providence Hospital where he was treated and later released. Roberts and his passenger were not injured in the crash. All those involved reported wearing seatbelts. Preliminary investigation indicated alcohol was not a factor in the crash. The crash is still under investigation.