Fatigue cited in Parks Highway rollover near Cantwell

A 22-year-old Florida driver rolled her vehicle near Mile 199 of the Parks Highway near Cantwell on Thursday, sustaining minor injuries. Alaska State Troopers said fatigue was a contributing factor in the crash.

Troopers cited Maelyse Lockett for negligent driving. The incident was reported at 5:21 p.m. A Bureau of Land Management ranger assisted troopers at the scene.

A Corridor Under Pressure

The Parks Highway between Wasilla and Fairbanks draws heavy out-of-state tourist and rental-vehicle traffic each summer. The corridor has seen other incidents this season. A head-on collision near Mile 152 on June 25 sent one driver to Matanuska Regional Hospital with serious injuries and closed the highway for roughly an hour. A disabled semi shut the road near Mile 274 in mid-July. A mudslide forced one-lane traffic control near Mile 212 in late June.

Rollovers on the Parks Highway can close the road in both directions for several hours, according to prior Alaska State Troopers incident records. Any charges reported are accusations and the driver is presumed innocent unless proven guilty, per the Alaska Department of Public Safety.