Alaska News

2 Tok residents die when pickup leaves road and rolls over

Two Tok residents died Wednesday morning when a pickup truck left a Tok roadway and rolled over, according to Alaska State Troopers.

A 2008 Ford Ranger was reported to be in the ditch on Sourdough Lane near Midnight Sun Drive around 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, troopers wrote in an online statement. The truck likely crashed several hours before it was found, said Austin McDaniel, a spokesman for the troopers. Troopers said the truck was heavily damaged and resting on the driver’s side.

Inside, 34-year-old Alicia Thomas and 58-year-old Craig Burns were dead, troopers said. Investigators believe Burns had been driving, McDaniel said in an email.

Marks on the gravel road showed that the truck was eastbound on Sourdough Lane when the driver lost control, troopers said.

Neither Thomas or Burns was wearing a seatbelt, according to troopers.

“Alcohol is believed to be a factor due to a strong odor of alcohol from the vehicle and several, what appear to be recent, alcohol containers at the crash scene and in the vehicle,” McDaniel said.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing, troopers said.

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