Thursday was an especially deadly day on the roads near the Sterling Highway.
Yesterday around mile 58.7 afternoon at about 1:23 p.m. Troopers received a report of a rock that went through the windshield of a Volkswagen GTI hatchback, striking the middle passenger in the back, before bouncing back out of the car. Killed was 8-year-old Noah Schwebach of Eagle River.
Though the rock was about the size of a volleyball no one else in the Hatchback was injured. Next of kin was on scene.
The incident occurred in a construction zone that has many large vehicles moving in and out of the area. The vehicle the rock fell off of has been tentatively identified and the Trooper investigation continues.
Meanwhile, around 5 p.m. Troopers received a report of a car-motorcycle collision in Sterling. After a preliminary investigation, it was determined that a Chevy pickup was turning left from Peaceful Circle to Sandlin Drive when the truck driver saw a BMW motorcycle heading toward them. The Trooper dispatch reports both the car and motorcycle served in the same direction, causing the bike to hit the front passenger side of the truck.
The rider, who was identified later as Sterling resident Michael Corteg, 60, was catapulted off the bike and into a ditch, where he succumbed to his injuries. He was wearing a helmet. Investigation continues.
Several more moving vehicle accidents with motorcylce and automobiles ocurred over the weekend, including one requiring a helicopter Life Flight medevac, but there were no further fatalities on the roads reported.