UPDATE - victim identified: Fatal Crash; Northern Lights/Patterson

Update on 5/11/20:

Initial indications are that 42-year-old Derrick Seals was driving a 1993 green Ford Bronco when he struck a 2009 silver Dodge Journey at Debarr and Muldoon from behind. Seals fled the scene and the driver of the Journey followed. When the vehicles reached Northern Lights and Patterson Seals’ Bronco struck a light pole, left the roadway, rolled over, and landed in a wooded area several yards from the street. Seals was ejected from the vehicle and was declared deceased at the scene.

Upon arrival officers made contact with the driver of the Journey along with other citizens who had pulled over. It will not be known if drugs and/or alcohol were a factor until toxicology results have been received. No arrests or citations have been made/issued in this case.

Next-of-kin notification procedures for Seals have been completed.

Original on 5/10/20:

At 3:25 AM on Sunday, May 10, 2020, Anchorage Police responded to the area of E Northern Lights Boulevard and Patterson Street regarding a vehicle collision. Upon arrival officers discovered a vehicle in the tree line; the driver had been ejected and was declared deceased at the scene.

The investigation is still in its early stages. The circumstances surrounding the crash, to include whether or not any other vehicles were involved, is still under investigation. Anyone who has any information regarding the collision, who has not yet spoken with police, is asked to call APD Dispatch at 3-1-1 (option #1).

Northern Lights is shut down between Patterson Street and Brittany Drive. Baxter is open and may be used as a route to get around the closed-down area. Travel on Northern Lights in that area is expected to be impacted for several hours while investigators work the scene.

The driver’s identity will be released once next-of-kin notification procedures have been completed.