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.

Search and Rescue

COOPER LANDING—April 1 at around 3 p.m., Shawn Evans, age 31 of Ohio, reported he and Josh Clark, age 30, also of Ohio, were hiking toward Crescent Lake cabin and observed a single wolf attacking a cow moose. On their arrival, the wolf spooked into the woods and the injured cow moose charged the two hikers, forcing them into a tree. Alaska Wildlife Troopers from Seward and Cooper Landing along with an US Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer responded by snow machine and on foot. The injured moose, which was still on scene and was dispatched, and donated to a local charity. Evans and Clark remained in the tree for 4 hours until AWT's and USFS personal arrived, no injuries were sustained.

Search and Rescue

GIRDWOOD—April 3 at approximately 4:45 p.m., two Troopers along with Cooper Landing EMS, Girdwood Fire/EMS, and Lifemed, responded to a snow machine area off of the Seward Hwy near mile 68 for the report of an injured snow machine rider. Troopers and Girdwood EMS were able to reach the scene via department snow machines. A scene investigation revealed that Kelly Carr, age 27 of Anchorage, had sustained a substantial back injury while riding. Carr was stabilized by on scene personnel. AST coordinated the arrival of Lifemed who transported Carr to an Anchorage area hospital via helicopter for treatment of her injury.

Warrant Arrest, MICS 6th Degree, Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor

GIRDWOOD—April 3 at about 3:30 p.m., a Trooper conducted a traffic stop on a Subaru Wagon near mile 106 of the Seward Highway for speeding. This area is within the Seward Highway Safety Corridor. An investigation revealed that Ethan Aloysius, age 19 of Anchorage, had an outstanding $500 warrant for his arrest. Further investigation revealed that Aloysius was also in possession of a small amount of marijuana. Additionally, he possessed the marijuana while in the immediate vicinity of the juvenile operator of the vehicle. Aloysius was arrested on the warrant and transported to the Anchorage Jail and summons to appear in court on the charges of Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance in the 6th Degree and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. The driver of the Subaru was cited for speeding.

DUI

COOPER LANDING—April 5 at around 3 p.m., a Trooper stopped a vehicle at mile 42 of the Seward Highway for a traffic violation. The driver, 59-year-old Kenneth Gardner of Anchorage, was subsequently arrested for DUI. Gardner was remanded into the Seward Jail without incident. Gardner was also issued citations for Speeding, No Proof of Insurance, Open Container of Alcohol, and Refusal of a PBT.

DUI, Refusal, and Theft 4th Degree

GIRDWOOD—April 8 at 5:22 p.m., a Trooper contacted a silver Toyota Corolla in the parking lot at Bird Creek near mile 101 of the Seward Highway after Troopers had received two REDDI reports about the vehicle. Following an investigation James Bonacci, age 33 of Omaha, Nebraska, was arrested for DUI and Theft 4th Degree. A charge of Refusal was added when Bonacci refused to provide a sample of breath for breath testing. Bonacci was eventually lodged at the Anchorage Jail with a $2,500 bail plus third party custodian.

Idaho man killed in Seward Highway rollover

One man was killed and another was injured in a one-vehicle rollover on the Seward Highway, April 14, Tuesday morning. At approximately 8 a.m., Soldotna dispatch received a report of a single- vehicle rollover at 104 mile of the Seward Highway in Indian. The initial investigation revealed the vehicle was traveling northbound when James Lusk, 46, of Kenai, lost control of the Chevrolet pickup he was driving. The truck crossed the center line and rolled several times before coming to a rest in the trees on the opposite side of the road. His passenger, Fred McMinn, 70, of Rexburg, Idaho was ejected from the passenger side of the truck and was transported to Providence Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 8:37 a.m. Lusk sustained injuries and was also transported to Providence Hospital. Alaska State Troopers with the Alaska Bureau of Highway Patrol team in Girdwood responded to the scene and are conducting the investigation to determine what caused the crash.

There was black ice on the roads in the area that morning. Another accident occurred around 7:23 a.m. about a quarter mile north of the fatal accident, a maroon pickup truck went off the road into a ditch. No one was reported injured. Trooper spokeswoman Beth Ipsen said that later that day at 2:45 p.m., a motor vehicle collision happened at mile 110 when a semi rear-ended a car that had slowed down to make a turn.