1 dead, 2 seriously injured in KGB Road crash

WASILLA — Alaska State Troopers said Friday that one man was killed and two women were seriously injured in a car crash just before 6 a.m. on New Year's Day near the intersection of Knik Goose Bay Road and Vine Road.

According to an online trooper dispatch, a tan Toyota Corolla driven by Darin Cleveland, 24, of Wasilla was driving south in the northbound lane of KGB Road when he struck a red Corolla driven by Pyotr Kudryn, 57, of Wasilla, who was heading north. Kudryn was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cleveland's two passengers, Ella Williams, 26, and Gertrude Ivanoff, 25, both of Wasilla, were taken to Anchorage and Mat-Su hospitals with what troopers described as life-threatening injuries. Neither were wearing seat belts.

Cleveland was treated for minor injuries at Mat-Su Regional Hospital.

According to Palmer mayor DeLena Johnson, Kudryn worked as a custodian at the Palmer Police Department. She said he’d worked for the city for about 15 years.

“He was a real asset to the city, somebody that came in and did a good job,” she said on Friday. “Just the kind of person you want to have working for you.”

Johnson said Kudryn’s death will be felt throughout the Valley.

“He’ll really be missed,” she said.

Palmer Police Chief Lance Ketterling described Kudryn as "just a really decent man," who planned to retire in the next few months and move to Hawaii.

"He was a heck of a guy," Ketterling said.

Ketterling said Kudryn immigrated to the United States from the former Soviet Union and first began working for the city in April of 2000. He said Kudryn was "a family man" who had 12 children.

"It's a pretty big tragedy for the city," he said.

Ketterling said counseling will be offered to any city employees who want to talk about the incident.

A call Friday to a phone number listed for Kudryn was answered by a recording that said the number is out of service.

According to online records, Cleveland was convicted of fourth-degree assault in 2012 and is currently facing a felony second-degree sexual assault case filed in 2014 for allegedly assaulting an incapacitated victim. Those records show someone named Ella Williams helped bail him out of jail in December 2014.

Cleveland's next scheduled court date in the rape case is scheduled for Jan. 12 in Anchorage. Records show he also has two convictions for underage drinking, in 2009 and 2010, in cases out of Kotzebue.

Kudryn’s only brush with the law in Alaska was a 2010 speeding ticket that was dismissed after he attended a defensive driving course.

Troopers said next of kin have been notified and that an investigation into the cause of the crash is underway. As of Saturday, no criminal charges had been filed in the case.

Here's the trooper dispatch about the accident:

On 1-1-16 at approximately 0559 hours AST responded to motor vehicle accident on Knik Goose Bay Road just North of Vine Road. Investigation revealed Darin Cleveland 24 of Wasilla was driving his tan Toyota Corolla South on KGB in the North bound lane of travel when he collided, head on, with a red Toyota Corolla driven by Pyotr Kudryn 57 of Wasilla who was traveling North on KGB. Kudryn was pronounced deceased at the scene. Cleveland’s two passengers, Ella Williams 26 and Gertrude Ivanoff 25 both of Wasilla were transported to Providence and Matsu Regional hospitals with life threatening injuries. Cleveland was treated for minor injuries at Matsu Regional Hospital. Neither Williams or Ivanoff were wearing seatbelts. Investigation is ongoing. NOK has been notified.