Update About Head-On Collision On Richardson Near Hogan Hill; ADN Given Some Details
WEEKEND FATAL ACCIDENT Woman Dies On Road In 2-Car Crash Apparently Accident Occurred Near Hogan Hill Anchorage Daily News Has Details Tr...
WEEKEND FATAL ACCIDENT
Woman Dies On Road In 2-Car Crash
Apparently Accident Occurred Near Hogan Hill
Anchorage Daily News Has Details Trooper Dispatch Left Out
UPDATED REPORT JULY 16TH, 2024
The new road at Hogan Hill used granite rocks in the multi-year construction project. (Photo, Copper River Country Journal, June 2021) |
The Journal wrote an extensive photo story on the 2021 summer highway construction at Hogan Hill.
The Trooper communications department recently told the Journal that Troopers and VPSOs are not trained or qualified to provide emergency
medical care at car crashes beyond "first aid."
ORIGINAL TROOPER DISPATCH REPORT
JULY 13TH, 2024
Dispatch Text:
On 07/13/2024 at approximately 1403 hours, Alaska State Troopers responded to a 2 vehicle head on collision on the Richardson Hwy, north of Glennallen. Upon further investigation determined a vehicle crossed into on-coming lane of travel and struck another vehicle. Rebecca Portwood, 74, of Loganville Georgia was found to be deceased. The decedent was transported to the State Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy. Next of Kin was notified.
On the morning of Sunday, July 14th, the Country Journal asked Trooper Communications in Anchorage for more information. As of noon Sunday there was still no response. |
COUNTRY JOURNAL COMMENTARY
The most specific information reported by the Alaska State Troopers this summer involves sports fishing violations. The Troopers have been reporting numerous Kenai and Chitina dip netting and sport fishing infractions. The reports are very specific, often giving names and incidental details of the citations.
For example in the July 13th Trooper rundown on the web, a "personal use fishery citation" from Soldotna noted:
"Alice was cleaning her fish after a day of fishing," it said. "Investigation revealed that after leaving the primary fishing area she had not recorded her harvest or clipped the tails..."
But, in the Copper Valley, a report written by Troopers the very same day about a violent death gave almost no information. All it said was that there was a "2 vehicle head on collision." A woman from Georgia "was found to be deceased." And that the accident happened at 2 pm on Saturday July 13th somewhere on the Richardson Highway "north of Glennallen."
At a time when the new Copper River EMS first responders are coming in with expanded service, two weeks after Delta Medical Transport left the region, there is no mention of EMTs in the report. There's also no mention of fire department assistance, volunteer assistance, ambulance help, or possible assistance by Troopers and Village Public Safety Officers.
Among the many details missing are:
Where exactly did this fatality take place?
What makes and models of vehicles were involved?
How many people were in each vehicle?
Were any of them hurt – seriously or otherwise?
What local responders showed up and what did they attempt to do to help?