ANCHORAGE, Alaska—
An Anchorage special education teacher remains in critical condition on Monday afternoon following a New Year's day vehicle-pedestrians crash that injured the woman and her boyfriend. Ashley Marie Brotherton, and Clayton Tyler Wilbanks, both 24-years-old, were walking north on I street around 1:15 a.m. Sunday when investigators say a 1994 red Dodge Ram 1500 slammed into them from behind.
"He was probably doing 50 if not more," 22-year-old Austin Stewart, a witness to the crash said.
Stewart was driving toward downtown on I street with two friends when he told police the pickup flew by him.
"He started to kind of fishtail, lost control and went up on the curb and hit the two pedestrians that were walking on the sidewalk," Stewart said.
According to police, 21-year-old Tex Daniels II, of Chugiak, was driving the pickup at the time of the crash.
Witnesses told police Daniels tried to flee the scene, but Stewart stopped him.
"After seeing what he did I didn't want him to get away," Stewart said. "I thought those people were dead."
"We covered the victims with blankets and I kind of went back and forth just to make sure that they were breathing until the medics arrived," Anna Belanger, who was with Stewart at the time of the crash said.
The couple had moved up in the fall of 2011 from Littleton, Colorado.
"She is supposed to be an outstanding special education teacher," Anchorage School District Superintendent Carol Comeau said. "Everybody is devastated and just hoping for the best ."
Brotherton was the special education teacher at Denali Montessori.
According to Comeau, the principal along with Brotherton's mother are at Regional hospital with her.
ASD is calling the parents of Brotherton's students, and will provide both students and teachers with counselors.
Daniels has not been arrested, and no charges have been filed. Police are still waiting on toxicology reports.
Contact Jackie Bartz jbartz@ktuu.com
