Troopers arrest driver for DUI after car strikes moose near Soldotna

A car struck a moose near Gaswell Road in Soldotna early Sunday, and troopers found signs the animal was severely injured but could not find it. The driver, a 21-year-old woman, was arrested for driving under the influence, Alaska State Troopers said.

Troopers got the report at about 2:20 am and found a blue Toyota Camry with heavy damage on the shoulder of the road, according to the troopers' daily dispatch. Troopers said the driver showed signs of alcohol impairment and failed field sobriety tests. A breath test measured 0.236, almost three times Alaska's legal limit of 0.08, troopers said.

An arrest is an accusation, and she is presumed innocent.

Moose collisions are common on Alaska roads. A state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities study put them at around 500 a year on rural highways, a number it said could double in winters with heavy snow.