Two Willow residents died in a head-on collision Wednesday afternoon on the Parks Highway in Mat-Su, Alaska State Troopers said.
Investigators responded to reports of the collision in Houston at 5:35 p.m. and found that a 2005 Honda Pilot and 2001 Chevrolet pickup were involved, troopers said. Melissa Keown, 53, was driving the Honda and 71-year-old Michael Vial was driving the pickup, according to troopers.
They both died at the scene of the collision, in the area of Zero Lake Road at Mile 59 of the highway. No one else was in either vehicle.
Both were wearing seatbelts, troopers said.
Investigators are working to determine what caused the collision, said spokesman Austin McDaniel.
The highway was shut down for just over an hour and reopened to one lane at about 6:45 p.m., Houston officials said.