Wasilla teen dies in car crash in near Palmer High

JOHN DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

PALMER -- Icy road conditions Wednesday evening contributed to a car crash that sent seven people to the hospital and resulted in the death of a 16-year-old boy, Palmer Police said Friday.

Matthew M. Craver died at Valley Hospital from injuries sustained when the 1993 Honda Civic in which he was riding slid on ice and swerved into oncoming traffic at the intersection of West Arctic Avenue and Rush Court.

The Civic, driven by Jake McKeown, 16, was T-boned by a 2000 Dodge Caravan driven by Jeffrey L. Hightower, 42, of Wasilla. Hightower was driving with his sons Shawn, 14, and William, 9, when the Civic slid into his lane.

McKeown had two other passengers in the car besides Craver, police reported. Cody Dishon, 15, and Cory Coleman, 16, were taken with Craver to Valley Hospital by ambulance.

Coleman, who sustained serious injuries in the crash, was still at Valley Hospital as of Friday evening, but was listed in stable condition, a nursing supervisor said.

McKeown, Dishon and the Hightowers were treated for minor injuries and released Wednesday night. Palmer Police do not suspect drugs or alcohol were contributing factors in the crash, but an investigation is continuing.

Contact John Davidson at john.davidson@frontiersman.com.