Woman cited for pushing car

WILLOW — Did you know it’s a crime in Alaska to use “improper towing equipment” and that you can be charged with it even if you towed a vehicle using no equipment at all?

If they didn’t before, Sharon and Harlan Wiertsema, both 70, of Willow, do now.

Alaska State Troopers say the incident first came to their attention at 10:06 p.m., Wednesday after responding to a three-vehicle collision at Mile 87, Parks Highway.

Troopers described the incident in a press release Thursday. They say Patrick Crandall, 41, of Wasilla, was northbound on the highway in a red 2006 Freightliner semi truck towing “two fully loaded flat-bed freight trailers.”

For several miles he was stuck behind the Wiertsemas. Here’s how troopers describe what they were up to:

“Sharon … was operating her 1993 red Chevrolet pickup northbound … while pushing a disabled vehicle with her bumper. The disabled vehicle was not connected to the other vehicle by any sort of linking device and was being steered by Harlan Wiertsema.”

When Crandall eventually tried to pass the two vehicles in a passing zone, at that same moment the two vehicles “turned left in front of him without warning,” according to troopers.

The Freightliner sideswiped the pickup. Both were damaged. There was no damage to the disabled vehicle. No one was hurt.

Sharon Wiertsema was charged with not exercising due care to avoid a crash and for using improper towing equipment. Harlan Wiertsema was summonsed for driving without a valid license.