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

Three people were injured in the head-on collision in the Copper Valley on Saturday, July 13th that left a 74-year-old Georgia woman dead, the Alaska State Troopers told the Anchorage Daily News. 

The location of the accident was loosely pinpointed in the Daily News, which reported the deadly wreck took place "40 miles north of Glennallen." Local people know that location as "Hogan Hill" — or "K'ey Tsaaygha" in Ahtna. 

In their report to the Daily News, the Alaska State Troopers said that a 2023 Jeep Wrangler, headed north, crossed the center line into the oncoming lane, and struck a 2021 Subaru Outback. The passenger of the Jeep died at the scene, Troopers said, but the Jeep's driver suffered "serious injuries" and was "transported to an Anchorage hospital." The ADN also said there were "two occupants who were hospitalized with unknown injuries" in the Subaru. Troopers in the state communications office told the ADN nobody had been arrested as of Sunday and Troopers were investigating the crash.

The road near Hogan Hill was heavily rebuilt over the past several years, when the historic hill – which was apparently revered by the Ahtna (and, according to the late Fred Ewan was a source of birch for indigenous people) was torn apart for granite to rebuild the Richardson Highway. Since it has been finished the road has developed many new "dips". Troopers did not tell the Anchorage Daily News if this accident occurred in the newly rebuilt section of the Richardson. 

The Troopers have not responded to the Country Journal's request for information about EMS, Trooper, fire department, or VPSO response at the scene. The Copper River EMS program has recently kicked into high gear, and this was a complex situation, which apparently involved Medevacs – though CREMS' involvement and how the Medevacs were handled is not specifically mentioned. 

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."


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FROM THE JOURNAL: Because the digital Daily News is behind a paywall (meaning you have to pay a subscription to the Daily News to be allowed to read most of its stories on the web) and only 19,000 Alaskans statewide subscribe to the Daily News, the Journal has adapted their information for local readers. 

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ORIGINAL TROOPER DISPATCH REPORT 
JULY 13TH, 2024


Location: Glennallen
Type: Fatal MVC

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? 





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