Moose shot after attacking woman

LAZY MOUNTAIN — Alaska State Troopers had to shoot a moose Monday after it attacked a woman off of Clark-Wolverine Road.

Trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said the moose in question was a cow with two calves. A woman called from her home on Heidi Drive in the neighborhoods around Mile 3 of Clark-Wolverine Road.

The moose attacked Caren Dellacioppa, 66, of Palmer, as she was walking in the area. Peters said it didn’t appear that Dellacioppa had done anything to provoke the animal. Cows, she noted, are often very protective of calves.

“When we got there she was in her yard,” Peters said. “As troopers were rendering assistance to her they were charged as well and one of the troopers shot the moose.”

Peters said patrol troopers and wildlife troopers were on scene and that she believed it was a patrolman who shot the animal.

The call came in at 12:36 p.m. By 2:30 p.m. the Alaska Department of Fish and Game had picked up the calves and a charity had salvaged the dead cow.

Peters said Dellacioppa was taken to the hospital.

Mat-Su Borough Deputy Director of Emergency Services Clint Vardeman said that an ambulance was called out at the same time as troopers. Medics were initially asked to stage a short distance away at Teresa Drive and Clark-Wolverine Road since the moose was still in the area.

Vardeman said medics loaded Dellacioppa up and drove from the scene to the hospital “code yellow,” which generally indicates the patient’s injuries aren’t severe enough to warrant lights and sirens and a speedy trip to the hospital.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.