ANCHORAGE, Alaska—
Alaska State Troopers say a drunk Chugiak driver’s attempt to make a U-turn on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway Monday morning ended abruptly when he struck a state prisoner transport van.Troopers responded shortly after 5:30 a.m. to the scene of the collision on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, near its intersection with Branding Iron Lane in Wasilla. Officials say Justin Kissee, 25, was driving a green 1992 Ford Ranger east on the highway when he made an unsafe turn and hit the Alaska Department of Public Safety van, driven by 43-year-old court services officer Daniel Carlson.
Although everyone involved in the crash was wearing their seat belts, one of Kissee’s passengers, 24-year-old Kyla Malone, reported minor injuries and was treated at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.
Kissee, who was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol, was arrested for DUI and fourth-degree assault. He was taken to the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility and held on $700 bail, but troopers had to use another vehicle to transport him -- both the Ranger and the transport van had to be towed from the scene of the collision.
