Two people are dead after a pair of major motor vehicle accidents occurred within minutes of one another on Saturday morning on the Seward and Kenai Spur Highways.
At 11:55 a.m., Alaska State Troopers in Soldotna responded to a report of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Treasure Chest and the Kenai Spur Highway.
According to the Trooper dispatch on the accident, the investigation revealed that 31-year-old Kenai resident Conner Christoffersen was traveling southbound on the Kenai Spur Highway near Treasure Chest St when he attempted to pass a vehicle on the right side, which was making a left-hand turn onto Treasure Chest St. Troopers determined that Christoffersen lost control of his vehicle and careened into the northbound lane, where he was struck by a vehicle traveling northbound.
Christoffersen was pronounced deceased on the scene. His is the fourth traffic-related death on the Kenai Peninsula this summer.
An investigation into the incident is pending.
Almost simultaneously, at 11:54 a.m., another two-vehicle accident was reported at mile 114 of the Seward Highway near Potter Marsh.
Responding Anchorage Police Officers determined that a Kia driving northbound toward Anchorage crossed the double-yellow center line and collided with an F-150 pickup traveling in the opposite direction.
The adult male driver of the Kia was declared deceased at the scene; he was the only occupant in his vehicle.
According to the APD report, both adult occupants of the Ford F-150 were transported to a hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
