Parks Highway getting nasty in the north

WASILLA — Alaska Department of Transportation officials issued a slew of warnings for the Parks Highway on Monday as roads heading into the Interior continued to become treacherous with winter driving conditions.

Officials warned drivers to expect difficult driving conditions beginning at about mile 163 all the way north to Fairbanks. Mile 163 is located about an hour’s drive north of Talkeetna.

On Friday night, troopers responded to a major vehicle crash at about mile 252 of the Parks near Healy. According to troopers, a semi pulling double trailers was traveling northbound when the driver, Eric Kennedy, 52, of Anchorage tried to stop for a disabled vehicle blocking the lane. Kennedy’s semi struck the vehicle and jackknifed, blocking all lanes.

Shortly after the initial collision, a 2010 Honda Element driven south by Stevie Lander, 22, of Anchorage struck the semi and became wedged between the truck and the guardrail. Lander and her passengers, Cadman Peterson, 28, of Anchorage, Moriah Walker, 21, of Anchorage and a 17-year-old Palmer boy were able to get out of the vehicle safely.

About a minute later, a 2004 Mazda Tribute driven by 83-year-old Lonnie Parrish of Anchorage also plowed into the semi.

Parrish and his passenger, Sandra Parrish, 69, of Anchorage, were transported to the hospital, as were Walker, Lander and Peterson. Some patients were transported by ambulance and at least one was flown out by helicopter.

All the injuries were reportedly serious but not life threatening. The accident shut down the highway for about seven hours while authorities cleaned up the mess and investigated.

On Monday, the National Weather Service issued a warning for the Fairbanks area as temperatures hovered around freezing and rain fell, a combination that can add up to very icy conditions. The Department of Transportation said Monday drivers should expect wet, slippery and icy roads with black ice throughout the highway corridor, especially on bridges and overpasses.