4 dead after a pair of multi-car vehicle accidents north of Willow over the weekend

Three people are dead following a head-on collision on the Parks Highway north of Willow Sunday afternoon.

The Alaska State Troopers received the report of an accident at Mile 87 of the highway at about 3 p.m. Sunday.

“A preliminary investigation revealed that a compact car with a single occupant was attempting to pass in a no-pass zone and struck a pickup truck with two occupants head-on. Both vehicles were fully engulfed in flames, and all three individuals were declared deceased at the scene,” troopers said in an online dispatch published Sunday evening.

A North Pole man died in a three-vehicle accident about a mile away less than 24 hours earlier. Troopers responded to the Sheep Creek Bridge at Mile 88 of the Parks at about 6 p.m. Saturday.

“ Investigation revealed a red 2010 Dodge Ram pick-up with five occupants was stopped in the northbound lane of the Parks Highway waiting to turn left. A red 2012 Ford Fusion with five occupants was stopped behind the Dodge pick-up waiting for it to turn. A white 1986 Toyota 4-Runner was also traveling north bound on the Parks Highway at a high rate of speed over the bridge. As the Toyota apexed the bridge, it rear-ended the Ford which subsequently rear-ended the Dodge. The incident resulted in seven vehicle occupants being transported by EMS to a hospital for injuries,” troopers said.

Isaiah Harding, 20, was declared dead at the scene. Harding was an occupant in the Ford Fusion.

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