Two Women Escape Van in Richardson Highway Pond

Two women were able to escape a van after driving it into a pond off of the Richardson Highway near Tonsina Monday morning, according to Alaska State Troopers.

A Monday AST dispatch says troopers responded at about 9:40 a.m. to Mile 88.8 of the Richardson, where 25-year-old Daisy Hernandez of California had lost control of a 2004 Chevrolet Astro van headed north and driven the vehicle into the pond.

“The van came to rest on its wheels, in approximately four feet of water,” troopers wrote. “Hernandez and her passenger, Cynthia Ortez, age 20 of Nevada were both wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident and were able to exit the vehicle by kicking out the passenger side window.”

AST spokesperson Megan Peters says no injuries were reported in the incident.