Tuesday morning accident involves two vehicles, dog team

WASILLA — A routine training run turned into a close call for an Iditarod musher.

Two dogs required veterinary attention after the dogs became part of a two-vehicle accident Tuesday morning near Wasilla.

Mat-Su Borough Deputy Director of Emergency Services Ken Barkley said that the crash that occurred just before 11 a.m. Tuesday morning near Mile 14 of Knik-Goose Bay Road. Barkley said a car collided with a pickup truck. The truck rolled over an embankment and into the two dogs. Iditarod veteran musher Kristy Berington was on a training run with the team prior to the accident.

Barkley said the area where the crash occurred was shaded.

“Where the sun is hitting the road, the roads are fairly dry, but it was a shaded area. They were icy. That’s the worst type of driving conditions,” Barkley said.

Barkley said this is the first time he’s responded to a call to an accident that included both a vehicles and a dog team. This was also a first for Berington.

“I personally have never had any close calls or difficulty with motorists, I think the neighborhood knows when the mushing season starts. The roads were terribly icy which I believe contributed to the unfortunate circumstance,” Berington said in a response on social media early Tuesday evening.

Of the two people inside the vehicles during the crash, one was taken to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center for evaluation, but no life-threatening injuries were sustained. Barkley said the unique dog team versus vehicle accident was the start of a long day, as more than five motor vehicle accidents occurred, including a three-car pileup that shut down Seward-Meridian Parkway during rush hour. Barkley said drivers need to be aware of ice even after driving on long stretches of dry road.

“People need to be really cautious. Just because where you’re at, the roads are fine, doesn’t mean you don’t need to be cautious,” Barkley said.

Contact Frontiersman reporter Tim Rockey at tim.rockey@frontiersman.com.