ATV collides with truck

WASILLA -- As the summer season heats up, more and more all-terrain vehicles cruise along the side trails near major highways in the Valley. As they do, motor-vehicle collisions and other hazards involving ATVs mount up.

The latest collision involving an ATV occurred Wednesday evening, next to the Crossroads Community Church on Bogard Road in Wasilla.

According to Alaska State Trooper Robert French, Gino Paoletti, 14, of Wasilla, was driving a 2000 Honda four-wheeler east on a trail that parallels Bogard Road at about 6:50 p.m. Paoletti reportedly increased his speed to make it up over the driveway to the Crossroads church when he collided with a 1998 GMC van driven by Emily Porterfield, 17, of Palmer.

French said Paoletti sped up the steep slope and, as he approached the entrance to the church parking lot and could not see Porterfield as she pulled into the driveway. Paoletti was wearing a helmet and suffered a minor head injury when his head struck the passenger window of the van. Damage to the van was estimated at $1,000, while the ATV received only minor damage.

Paoletti was cited for failing to yield when crossing the driveway.

Earlier this month, two youths slammed their off-road motorcycles into a Sutton woman's truck as she pulled out of her driveway in one incident, and in another a 51-year-old man died after his ATV rolled over onto him. Friday, Jeremy Eichenberger, 22, of Wasilla was pulled over by Wasilla Police after he reportedly came close to hitting several people while on a trail near Wasilla Lake. Eichenberger was issued a summons for reckless driving.

On Sunday, Wasilla Police attempted a traffic stop on another four-wheeler near Spruce Avenue and Fanciful Drive in Wasilla. The four-wheeler did not stop for police and continued speeding down Spruce Avenue, turning on Lucas Road and disappearing out of sight at the end of Glenkerry Drive, according to Wasilla police. The driver was not located but WPD and Alaska State Troopers located the ATV.

According to French, state law requires all ATVs to yield to cars. French also said ATVs are not allowed on any public highway, unless they are directly crossing the road or trying to avoid an obstacle, such as crossing a bridge to avoid a river.

In the summer, French said, the troopers receive a lot of complaints regarding ATVs as they ride along the roads, around subdivisions and across people's driveways. These violations can result in fines of up to $100.

Currently there is no law requiring ATV operators to be of a certain age and ATV and other off-road vehicle drivers are no longer required to have a license, after the passage of a 2002 State House bill, sponsored by Rep. Vic Kohring , R-Wasilla, and approved by then-governor Tony Knowles. The bill effectively exempted all ATV operators from driver's licensing requirements. Knowles did write at the end of his letter which approved the law, however, that he wanted to leave open the possibility for future legislatures to consider whether or not a policy is needed for operation of off-highway vehicles by younger Alaskans in the interest of public health and safety.

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.