3 Californians die in crash, 2 critical

MAT-SU — Alaska State Troopers say it’s still unclear what caused a carload of Princess employees to roll off the Parks Highway Friday. Three employees of the Princess Mt. McKinley lodge died in the crash near Mile 131.

All five occupants of the red 2003 Infiniti were not wearing seatbelts and were thrown from the car as it rolled, troopers report. California residents Nathan Pollard, William Bradley and Jerry Luzzi, all 21, died while Matthew Holmes, 20, and Christopher Niles, 19, both of Michigan, survived.

Pollard and Luzzi died at the scene and Bradley died on the way to the hospital, AST spokeswoman Beth Ipsen said.

“We believe that Bradley was the driver just because it was his car and he never lets anyone drive,” Ipsen said.

The accident is still under investigation. In addition to what caused the wreck, numerous questions remain unanswered, she said. Troopers believe, although not positive, that the group was heading back to the Princess Mt. McKinley Lodge where they worked.

“They were two miles short of the Princess lodge,” Ipsen said.

Also unclear is whether and to what extent alcohol may have played a role in the crash. Ipsen said.

“We do know that they were partying with other people at this park [in Talkeetna],” Ipsen said.

But determining how much alcohol played a role will have to wait for troopers first to identify conclusively who was driving and then for a toxicology report to be returned, which usually takes weeks, she said.

Troopers have not been able to interview Holmes or Niles as both were taken to Anchorage-area hospitals. Holmes is at Providence Alaska Medical Center, Niles was taken to the Alaskan Native Medical Center, Ipsen said. The last report she had was that both were in critical condition.

Ipsen said the three deaths have left a lot of folks heartbroken.

“They were well known not just where they’re from in California, but they were well known in Talkeetna,” Ipsen said.

She noted that a failure to use seatbelts also played a role in a fourth fatality last week. Late Thursday night in Cooper Landing, Donald Setters, 61, of Eagle River died when his Jeep Cherokee crossed the center line and struck a Ford Aerostar van. Setters was not wearing his seatbelt.

Troopers have been looking for drivers without seatbelts in an attempt to make the roads safer, Ipson said.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.