Automobile Accidents

• Knutson Charged With Vehicular Murder of Fairbanks Man

  Ward Merdes | December 03, 2007 6:58 PM | 0 CommentsFairbanks, AK

  KTTU Anchorage reports that Tim Oates, a long-time Fairbanksan, was killed in a motor vehicle wreck Sunday. The crash was caused by Trent Knutson. Mr. Knutson faces assault, drunk driving and murder charges. Here is what the Oates family should be doing...Investigate what insurance carrier covers Mr. Knutson - and file a claim ASAP - in writing. Then, file a claim against Mr. Oates' own...

• Drunk Driver Kills Fairbanks Man

  Jane Schneider | December 03, 2007 6:22 AM | 0 CommentsAnchorage, AK

  Trent Knutson is alleged to have been over three times the legal alcohol limit when he drove through a red light Friday night at 36th and A in Anchorage. The resulting crash put the other driver, Jack Body, in the hospital and took the life of Body's passenger, Timothy Oates, of Fairbanks. Knutson faces DUI, first degree assault and second degree murder charges. But his conviction won't be...

• Semi-Truck Collision Kills Marvin Harris. What His Family Should Do...

  Ward Merdes | December 02, 2007 4:40 PM | 0 CommentsFairbanks, AK

  The Anchorage Daily News reports that Marvin Harris, 52, was killed on 11/29/07 while driving a semi southbound at mile 53 of the Dalton Highway. The oncoming trailer was being pulled by Jason Knight, 34 of Fairbanks. Knight was driving a 2006 Freightliner. It appears that Knight's trailer drifted into the Southbound (oncoming) lane occupied by Harris, killing Harris on impact. Harris was...

• Woody Trefon Killed by Four-Wheeler. Here's What His Family Needs To Know:

  Ward Merdes | December 01, 2007 8:02 PM | 0 CommentsFairbanks, AK

  The Anchorage Daily News reports that 20 year old Woody Trefon was killed in Nondalton, Alaska on Tuesday - run over by a four-wheeler driven by his cousin, 19 year old Sean Trefon. Woody's family needs to...First, see how the accident occurred. If there is any indication that Sean was doing anything wrong - driving while intoxicated - driving without paying close attention - driving at the...

• Alcohol & Drug-Related Deaths At Ten Year High

  Jane Schneider | November 26, 2007 12:30 AM | 0 CommentsAnchorage, AK

  Anchorage alone has had 12 traffic deaths this year where alcohol or drugs contributed. Alcohol and drug related deaths comprise 76% of total traffic deaths for the year. The figures haven't been that bad in a decade. If you or a loved one is the victim of a drunk or drugged up driver, hire a good personal injury attorney as soon as possible. You may have special rights against impaired...

• Christopher Jenkins Killed by Gifford. Claims To File

  Ward Merdes | November 21, 2007 1:16 AM | 0 CommentsFairbanks, AK

  The AP reports that Matthew Brent Gifford was charged with second degree murder in the automobile related death of Christopher Jenkins in April. Gifford apparently had alcohol, cocaine, marijuana and other illicit drugs in his system when Jenkins was killed. Jenkins' family needs to hire a good personal injury attorney NOW, and ...1. File liability claims against Gifford's insurer. Be sure to...

• What Horace Field's Family Needs To Do, Now.

  Ward Merdes | November 19, 2007 9:21 AM | 0 CommentsFairbanks, AK

  KTUU of Anchorage reports that Horace Field, 45 of Noorvik may have been drinking when he was struck, dragged and killed by a semi-truck last week. While this sounds bad for any related claims, Mr. Field's family needs to immediately...1. Find an Accident Reconstruction (AR) expert. That expert will view the scene, the statement, the police report and surveillance footage from the nearby FBI...

• Driver in Ketchikan Fatality Won't Be Charged

  Jane Schneider | November 19, 2007 12:46 AM | 0 CommentsAnchorage, AK

  The driver, Robert Elliott, 39, of a "Ketchikan Duck Tour" vehicle won't be criminally charged as a result of a pedestrian collision that took the life of Californian, Myong S. Thayer last summer. Thayer stepped in front of the vehicle while it was stopped on the dock. She was standing in its blind spot. She died at the scene of the serious injuries she sustained when the vehicle was moved...

• Are Alaskan Drivers Getting More Stupid, or Just Better Connected?

  Ward Merdes | November 11, 2007 8:16 PM | 0 CommentsFairbanks, AK

  A friend phoned me today, complaining that in his 30 years in Fairbanks, Alaska - he has never seen such poor driving as he's encountered this winter. "Ward, are folks just getting stupid, or what?" "Just yesterday, another person was killed on the Steese. How many will it take before folks stop talking on their cell phones?" I also had a phone call from a woman who was literally run over by a...

• Myong Thayer's Death An Accident... What To Do Now?

  Ward Merdes | November 11, 2007 10:06 AM | 0 CommentsFairbanks, AK

  Accidents provide foundation to almost all civil actions.Channel 2 of Anchorage reports that investigation of Myong Thayer's death in Ketchikan Alaska reveals that it was an "accident." Thayer apparently stepped out in front of a bus owned by Alaska Amphibious Tours. Also, there was no presence of alcohol or drugs in the bus driver's system. Does this mean that the Thayer family has no claim? ...