Living & Working in Great Places
Death in Alaska
Anyone know these guys? Please be safe up in Alaska and be responsible.
Three dead in holiday crash
By SEAN COCKERHAM / scockerham@adn.com
(07/05/08 14:59:13)
Three workers at the McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge died Friday night after a car wreck on the Parks Highway.
William Bradley, Nathan Pollard and Jerry Luzzi, all 21-year-olds from California, died when their 2003 Infiniti rolled several times about 8:33 p.m. Friday.
Two others in the car, 20-year-old Matthew Holmes and 19-year-old Christopher Niles, both from Michigan, survived but are hospitalized in critical condition, according to the Alaska State Troopers.
The men had been in Talkeetna for the Fourth of July and troopers believe they were returning to the McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge near Denali National Park, when the accident happened near Mile 131 of the highway.
"They were only two miles from the lodge when they crashed," said trooper spokeswoman Beth Ipsen.
Ipsen said it was a one-vehicle accident and there were no witnesses.
Troopers are still trying to piece together what happened but said all five men were thrown from the vehicle. None were wearing seatbelts, Ipsen said.
Pollard and Luzzi died at the scene and Bradley died on the way to the hospital, Ipsen said. Niles was taken to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center and a LifeGuard helicopter flew Holmes to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.
Three of the men had been at the West Rib Bar in Talkeetna earlier in the day, but only Bradley and Pollard reportedly drank there, and only had a beer apiece, said trooper spokeswoman Beth Ipsen.
At least some of them were later seen at the park in downtown Talkeetna, "partying with others the same age who may work with them," Ipsen said.
Because of this, troopers say they suspect alcohol was a factor in the accident.
Troopers believe Bradley was driving when they left the park in Talkeetna at 7 p.m., Ipsen said.
"We don't know for sure who was driving but based on (reports that) he never lets anyone drive his car, he was probably driving at the time," Ipsen said.
Troopers haven't been able to interview the two survivors because of their severe injuries, Ipsen said. The state medical examiner will perform autopsies on the dead and the car has been impounded for the investigation, Ipsen said.
Three dead in holiday crash
By SEAN COCKERHAM / scockerham@adn.com
(07/05/08 14:59:13)
Three workers at the McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge died Friday night after a car wreck on the Parks Highway.
William Bradley, Nathan Pollard and Jerry Luzzi, all 21-year-olds from California, died when their 2003 Infiniti rolled several times about 8:33 p.m. Friday.
Two others in the car, 20-year-old Matthew Holmes and 19-year-old Christopher Niles, both from Michigan, survived but are hospitalized in critical condition, according to the Alaska State Troopers.
The men had been in Talkeetna for the Fourth of July and troopers believe they were returning to the McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge near Denali National Park, when the accident happened near Mile 131 of the highway.
"They were only two miles from the lodge when they crashed," said trooper spokeswoman Beth Ipsen.
Ipsen said it was a one-vehicle accident and there were no witnesses.
Troopers are still trying to piece together what happened but said all five men were thrown from the vehicle. None were wearing seatbelts, Ipsen said.
Pollard and Luzzi died at the scene and Bradley died on the way to the hospital, Ipsen said. Niles was taken to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center and a LifeGuard helicopter flew Holmes to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.
Three of the men had been at the West Rib Bar in Talkeetna earlier in the day, but only Bradley and Pollard reportedly drank there, and only had a beer apiece, said trooper spokeswoman Beth Ipsen.
At least some of them were later seen at the park in downtown Talkeetna, "partying with others the same age who may work with them," Ipsen said.
Because of this, troopers say they suspect alcohol was a factor in the accident.
Troopers believe Bradley was driving when they left the park in Talkeetna at 7 p.m., Ipsen said.
"We don't know for sure who was driving but based on (reports that) he never lets anyone drive his car, he was probably driving at the time," Ipsen said.
Troopers haven't been able to interview the two survivors because of their severe injuries, Ipsen said. The state medical examiner will perform autopsies on the dead and the car has been impounded for the investigation, Ipsen said.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jon ( THE MIXER ) Marshall on -
This is a sad story for 5 guys working for the summer in Denali area.
Please everyone who drinks, be responsible, and if you drive do not drive drunk.
My heart goes out to those guys.
J
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Permalink Reply by akscootr on -
Yeh, sickening. Cabs are a lot cheaper than dui or death.... please drive ONLY if sober...
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Permalink Reply by andy palmisano on -
Buddy... Your not getting a cab in Talkeetna, Alaska.
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Permalink Reply by Robbin Robinson on -
Then you shouldn't be drinking. This is tragic!
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Permalink Reply by andy palmisano on
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Lady, I was working with these guy's.. I know how "Tragic" it was.. Your not getting a cab in Talkeetna, Alaska, and if you would of known them, then you would of known they are the kind of guys that are going to lay their keys down because we said don't drive.
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Permalink Reply by windmoonstarsocean on -
This is so sad. Everyone be safe! I know where I just left (Olympic National Park) there was people hanging out car windows drunk and joking about surfing the hood of the car. It was disturbing how dangerous things can get. I know personally I had to leave my seasonal job to avoid a dangerous situation.
I was just in Talkeetna visiting too.
This entry hit me close, it's so so so so sad. They were three of us, just out on a adventure.
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Permalink Reply by Ali on -
Only one left now. Matt, Will, Nate and Jerry are in our hearts every day. We miss them so much. Please be responsible. Our prayers are with Chris now to keep him safe.
-Alicia-</3
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Permalink Reply by Michael Murray on
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We lost three members of our resort worker family due to this accident. I think that those of us that are working with our fellow resort colleagues need to remember that life is indeed short. I'm sure those three fun loving souls had no idea when they got up that morning that it would be their last day on our earth. I worked as a residence coordinator at Yellowstone Nat'l Park in 2006 and I was in charge of the dorm and residents. This type of incident always was in the back of my mind when several of the residents would say " We are off to Bozeman MT for the day Mike , be seein ya tonight sometime!". In life we never know when our time will be up!
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Permalink Reply by zainul on -
An Anchorage family's companion animal, which they claimed was a German shepherd/husky mix, has been seized by officials who say that the animal is actually a hybrid wolf.In Alaska it is illegal to keep wolf hybrids or other wild animals as companions. Sasha, who was part of the Cozad family for three years, was impounded in early January after she escaped from the family yard.The Alaska Department of Fish and Game claims Sasha is a threat to the community, and that all wolf hybrids are a threat. They believe the hybrids can easily transmit diseases and are dangerously unpredictable.Rick Sinnott of the Department of Fish and Game said of the Cozads, "They are being irresponsible on many levels. They are claiming now that the animal is not a wolf hybrid...anyone who knows what a wolf looks like and a husky looks like knows this is clearly not a husky or shepherd, it is a wolf."
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Zain
http://www.legalx.net
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Permalink Reply by Robbin Robinson on
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Always the alcohol. That is one of the sadest things. Three wonderful people gone because they drank and then drove.
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