FROM THE BLOTTER: Snowmachiner injured in Big Lake rollover

BIG LAKE — A Wasilla man was airlifted Sunday from the scene where his snowmachine rolled near Big Lake Road.

Kevin Blume, 48, was taken to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage with severe injuries.

He had been riding east on Woody Lake Drive when his machine hit an exposed patch of pavement, according to an Alaska State Troopers press release. His 1998 Arctic Cat rolled, and Blume, who was not wearing a helmet, sustained severe injuries.

The emergency responders on-scene thought the injuries looked critical and requested a Life-Med helicopter respond to the incident, said trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters.

Witnesses said Blume was driving no faster than the normal traffic, Peters said, at about 20 to 25 miles per hour. Apparently, the dry patch in the road caused him to lose control, she said.

Troopers believe alcohol played a part in the accident, and Peters said toxicology tests are pending.

Peters said it is logical to assume the injuries would not have been as severe if Blume was wearing a helmet, but it is impossible to say what the severity of the injuries might have been if he was.

“Helmet use is strongly encouraged if you are riding a bike, snowmachine, ATV or any other similar type of vehicle,” Peters said.

As of Monday, Blume was still in the hospital.

Man charged with abusing girl

WASILLA — A 36-year-old Wasilla man has been arrested on charges of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl, Alaska State Troopers report.

Matthew Nardini was taken into custody Friday by officials from the Anchorage and Palmer Alaska Bureau of Investigation offices and remanded to the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility on seven counts of sexual abuse of a minor I and three counts of sexual abuse of a minor II.

The arrest came after the Anchorage ABI interviewed the girl, where she disclosed that she had allegedly been sexually abused by Nardini for the past two years.

A search warrant for Nardini’s residence was obtained on Friday and executed the same day, troopers report.

Nardini was still in custody as of Monday morning in Mat-Su Pretrial Facility.

No match for K-9

WASILLA — Alaska State Troopers used a K-9 unit to track down a man who allegedly assaulted a family member and threatened to use a pistol.

Charles G. Thorpe, 61, was arrested at about 12:15 a.m. Friday after officials responded to a welfare check request at a residence on W. Van Gorde Drive, troopers report. Thorpe caused about $100 in damage to the residence, then fled on foot after preventing the family member from calling 911.

When the K-9 unit arrived at the scene, the dog tracked Thorpe to a nearby yard, where he was apprehended and remanded to Mat-Su Pretrial Facility on charges of domestic violence assault, criminal mischief and interfering with a domestic violence report.

He was held without bail. He was still being held at Mat-Su Pretrial Facility as of Monday morning.

—Compiled by Todd L. Disher and Greg Johnson