1 dead, 4 injured in Sterling Highway crash Sunday

A Homer man was killed in a head-on collision between a car and a pick-up truck on the Sterling Highway near Anchor Point Sunday afternoon.

Michael Franklin, 18, who was driving the car, was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of injuries he sustained in the accident, troopers said.

When rescue crews from Anchor Point arrived at the scene of the accident at Mile 142, they acted quickly to extinguish a vehicle that was in flames, said Anchor Point fire officials.

“Initial attack crews were able to knock down the fire quickly but the driver was pronounced dead at the scene,” Anchor Point officials reported in a written statement.

Ninilchik Emergency Services also responded to the accident, they said.

According to fire officials, one person with critical injuries was flown to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage. Acting chief Jon Marsh of Anchor Point Fire and EMS said three other people were driven to South Peninsula Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The driver of the pick-up was identified by troopers as 39-year-old Garrett Bowley.

Marsh said he estimated that the Sterling Highway was closed for four to five hours.

Troopers reported that the investigation of the accident is ongoing.