Some injured in spate of weekend accidents

WASILLA — The recent warm spell that made driving treacherous most of last week finally caught up to Valley drivers Saturday with four wrecks in two hours.

“There was one right after the other all kind of weather-related,” said Clint Vardeman, the borough’s deputy director of emergency services.

The first of the afternoon came shortly before 1 p.m. at Church and Seldon roads, according to an Alaska State Trooper press release. Kathryne Peltier, 24, of Wasilla, attempted to pass Duane Dejong, lost control of her 1997 Toyota 4-Runner, rear-ended Dejong’s Chevrolet Tahoe, and both vehicles left the road. Dejong was taken to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. Peltier was ticketed for not exercising due care.

Twenty minutes later on the Parks Highway near Lamont Way, Timothy Merry, 25, of Wasilla, was southbound driving a 2008 Dodge pickup when a 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier crossed the centerline, hitting him head-on.

“There were six patients involved but no one severely hurt,” Vardeman said.

The Cavalier’s driver, Tommy Johnson, 18, of Wasilla, was cited for not exercising due care. His car was totaled. Merry’s truck had $5,000 damage.

The third major wreck of the afternoon came at about 1:37 p.m. at Mile 10 Fairview Loop, drawing troopers, Wasilla Police officers and medics.

Troopers say Michael A. Cooley, 24, of Wasilla, was southbound in his 1990 Eagle Talon when he lost control going around a curve, crossed the centerline and hit a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado. The other driver was reported to be Donn L. Ferguson, 52, of Wasilla. Everyone in both cars was taken to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, according to troopers.

Cooley was later airlifted to Alaska Regional Medical Center in Anchorage.

Perhaps the most dramatic accident of the day came at 2:10 p.m. on Big Lake Road near Brittany Drive.

Ruby L. Reitmann, 27, of Houston, was thrown from her 1995 Ford Explorer when it rolled off the road, traveling 100 yards before it came to rest. Troopers say she was passing in a no-passing zone probably at a high rate of speed when the accident occurred.

Reitmann was flown to Providence Alaska Medical Center where troopers report she was in stable condition as of Saturday evening.

Amazingly, Reitmann’s 2-year-old daughter escaped the wreck unharmed. Troopers say the girl was safely buckled into her child safety seat.

“At least the kid was belted in and they said that the roof right over the car seat was pushed down but apparently it didn’t get to the child’s head,” Vardeman said.

Vardeman said that all the wrecks were handled with ambulances from the Lakes Fire Department and the Central Mat-Su Fire Department without much need to pull ambulances from other service areas.

“They were spaced just enough to be able to handle it,” Vardeman said.

Though he hopes the borough is through the worst of it, with rain coming down Monday afternoon and colder weather predicted overnight, he urged folks to slow down in their morning commutes.

“In the morning it could get pretty nasty,” he said.