Wasilla girl dies from injuries sustained in ATV rollover

WASILLA — The teenage driver in an ATV accident Thursday afternoon has died from her injuries.

According to an Alaska State Troopers report, the ATV rolled after crossing a driveway at around 4:30 p.m. on the trail alongside Lucille Street near Schrock Road.

Emergency responders initially took both riders — a boy and a girl, both 17 years old and from Wasilla — to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.

The boy, Zackery S. Potteiger, was treated and released, but the girl, Cheyanne Jorge, succumbed to her injuries after arriving at the hospital. Troopers report neither was wearing a helmet.

The only helmet laws in Alaska apply to motorcycles and say passengers under the age of 16 must wear them. AST spokeswoman Megan Peters said helmet-less riders are more of a problem in the summer than in the winter since snowmachiners usually wear helmets for warmth as well as protection.

“People don’t necessarily put on their helmets just to go ATV riding, which is sad,” Peters said.

Asked if this year was atypical for ATV accidents, Peters said she doesn’t have any statistics and doesn’t know of any agency that does, but anecdotally, this year seems to be shaping up like most others.

“I haven’t seen so many ATV fatalities that makes me think it’s a lot,” she said. “Of course, even one is too many.”

The trooper press release says the investigation into Thursday’s accident is ongoing.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.