Crash kills Wasilla woman

ANCHORAGE -- A Sunday car crash claimed the life of a Wasilla woman in downtown Anchorage, Anchorage Police reported.

Desiree Inman, 18, died after a pickup truck slammed into the passenger-side door of a Hyundai in which she was riding.

Inman was on her way from Wasilla to the Fifth Avenue Mall, with her friend, David Joseph, 23, who was driving his 1999 Hyundai sedan.

As they came to 5th Avenue and Sitka Street, traffic was backed up to a standstill and Joseph was going too fast to stop for the cars in front of him, said Lt. Nancy Reeder of the Anchorage Police Department.

In order to avoid a collision, Joseph veered into the opposite lane. His car slid sideways, Reeder said, and began to rotate, exposing the passenger-side door to oncoming traffic.

Thor Juliussen, 29, was traveling the other way in his 1990 Ford F250 pickup and was unable to stop before hitting the passenger side of the Hyundai.

Joseph and Inman were taken to Alaska Regional Hospital, where Inman was pronounced dead an hour later.

Joseph was injured in the collision and was still in the hospital as of Thursday morning, said Detective Everett Robbins, but his injuries are not life-threatening and his condition is stable. The driver of the truck, Juliussen, was not injured in the crash.

At the hospital, Joseph's blood was tested for drugs and alcohol and police are still waiting for the results of those tests, although Reeder said they do not think alcohol was a factor. Reeder said all three people were wearing seat belts at the time and no citations have been issued at this time.

Officer Mike Busey responded to the scene of the crash and said road conditions were not a significant factor.

"A driver took an evasive action that resulted in a death," Reeder said. "It's too early to say if there will be any criminal charges filed in this case, but our investigation is continuing."

Contact John Davidson at john.davidson@frontiersman.com.