Car hits bus; driver charged with DUI

WASILLA — The accident that tied up traffic on the Palmer-Wasilla for a good portion of rush hour Tuesday afternoon was the result of a police chase that ended with a car crashing into a school bus.

According to an Alaska State Trooper press statement, at 3:31 p.m., a small red car was reported driving recklessly on the highway. Troopers spotted the car heading eastbound close to the Wagon Drive intersection and tried to pull it over, but the car didn't stop.

Troopers say the car went out of control as it approached Trunk Road and hit the side of a First Student school bus with the driver and one passenger, but no students on board.

The driver of the car, Rachael Kennedy, 36, of Wasilla, had minor injuries that were treated at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.

After her hospital visit she was arrested for felony drunken driving, eluding arrest and driving on a revoked license. She was booked at the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility on $5,000 bail and will need to find someone to watch over her before she can be released. As of late this morning, she was still in jail.

Troopers say Kennedy's car was totaled and the bus sustained $3,000 worth of damage. Kennedy was the only person injured in the crash. Troopers identified the bus driver as Christopher Titus, 40, of Palmer.