From the Blotter

Eagle River man rear-ends state trooper captain

PALMER — Even the top Alaska State Trooper in the Mat-Su Valley wasn’t immune to the bad weather and poor driving conditions this past week.

According to a trooper press statement, shortly before 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Capt. Dennis Casanovas, who commands the AST B Detachment that encompasses an area of the state from Glennallen to Valdez and Talkeetna to Palmer, came upon what law enforcement usually describes as a “vehicle in distress.”

This particular vehicle was on the Glenn Highway at around Mile 31. It was partially in the median, according to trooper reports, and partially in the road.

Casanovas stopped his unmarked 2007 Ford Crown Victoria and put on his emergency lights so he could render assistance.

The driver behind him saw all this, but couldn’t stop in time to avoid hitting the captain’s cruiser. That driver, Joshua Floyd, 26, of Eagle River, was piloting a white 1996 Ford pickup, which collided with the rear end of the cruiser on its left side.

Troopers say neither Casanovas nor Floyd were hurt. Both were wearing seatbelts at the time.

Damage to the cruiser was estimated at more than $3,500. The pickup sustained more than $1,500 damage. The trooper press statement mentions no citations for either Casanovas or Floyd. Court records Saturday also contained no citations stemming from the wreck.

Willow men found after snowmachines fall through ice

SKWENTNA — A pair of snowmachiners who went missing for a day survived a plunge into an icy river and hiked seven miles before they were rescued Wednesday.

According to an Alaska State Troopers report, AST first got wind that Russ Bevans, 71, and Dave Luce, 65, both of Willow, were missing at 2 p.m., Tuesday. At that point they’d been gone for six hours. Troopers were worried about weather conditions, deep snow and shifting ice on the Yetna and Deshka rivers.

Troopers say the Rescue Coordination Center at Elmendorf Air Force Base launched a helicopter and a plane that night to search the area, but came up short.

The next day at 9 a.m., troopers and the RCC sent rescuers to the area. Troopers say by 10:30 a.m. their helicopter, Helo 3, had found the two men at a cabin and summoned the RCC pararescuers to the site.

According to the press release, troopers learned that the two men had left at 11 a.m. to check trail conditions in the area. On the return trip, at around 1 p.m., both men put their machines through the ice. All of their survival gear went into the water. They hiked to the cabin where they were eventually rescued.

Luce was taken to a nearby lodge. Bevans was flown to Providence Alaska Medical Center to be treated for exposure.