Valley moose take a hit over weekend

MAT-SU -- Three motor-vehicle accidents involving moose were reported in the Valley Saturday and another occurred Thursday, Alaska State Troopers said.

At 9:42 p.m. Saturday, Barbara McKenna, 49, of Houston, struck a moose with a 1981 Oldsmobile she was driving at Mile 45 Parks Highway, troopers said in a press release.

The moose lodged under the vehicle and troopers had to push the car off the moose.

McKenna and her passenger wore seat belts and were not injured. Damage to the Oldsmobile was estimated at $1,000.

At 6:14 p.m. Saturday, another moose vs. car accident occurred at Mile 47 Parks Highway. Troopers said Guy Aldrich, 56, of Willow, was driving east in a 1990 Ford truck when a moose walked across the road in front of him and Aldrich was unable to avoid hitting the animal. Aldrich and a passenger wore seat belts and were not inured, troopers said.

At 4:54 p.m. Saturday, Cynthia Fisher, 41, of Palmer, struck a moose with the 1999 Dodge truck she was driving at Mile 1 Big Lake Road, troopers said. The road was ice covered and the moose walked in front of the truck, according to troopers, who estimated damages of the vehicle at $1,000.

Fisher and a passenger wore seat belts and were not injured.

On Thursday at 6:23 a.m., Ryan C. Straight, 53, of Big Lake, struck and killed a moose with his 1989 Isuzu pickup truck on Big Lake Road near Shotgun Drive, troopers said. Straight skidded in an attempt to avoid a collision but was unable to avoid the moose, troopers said.

Straight wore a seat belt and was not injured. Troopers said his truck sustained "heavy damage."

In each of the four instances, moose were killed and were donated to charities.