Man dies of injuries sustained in car crash

An Anchor Point man died on Sunday of injuries from a two-car collision near Mile 155 Sterling Highway in Anchor Point on Saturday. Dale Keefer, 53, succumbed to his injuries, Alaska State Troopers said in a press release. He had been transported to an Anchorage hospital after initially being treated at South Peninsula Hospital. Next of kin has been notified.

Keefer was a passenger in a 1993 Pontiac Transport van hit in an offset head-on crash when a car driven by Arwen Weisser, 29, of Homer, crossed into his lane. Weisser was driving north in a 1997 Ford Expedition when about 11 a.m. Jan. 4 the sport-utility vehicle crossed into the other lane and hit the Pontiac, driven by Richard Twing, 24, of Anchor Point, and heading south.

Twing, Weisser and Keefer all were trapped in the cars and had to be extricated by Anchor Point Fire and Emergency Medical Services volunteers, said trooper spokesperson Megan Peters. 

A LifeMed helicopter was called, but was unable to fly because of weather conditions. All the victims were taken to South Peninsula Hospital, including four children in Weisser’s car.

The children were OK, but were taken to the hospital as a precaution, Peters said. Twing and Weisser had minor injuries. Peters did not know how Keefer was taken to Anchorage or where he was admitted.

Alcohol is not suspected as a factor in the crash, but as is routine in fatal car crashes, blood draws were done of the drivers involved to screen for alcohol and drugs, Peter said.

“I know road conditions were bad, weather conditions were bad,” Peters said of the crash scene.

Keefer is the first fatal car crash victim of the year for the Kenai Peninsula. A Ninilchik man, Denver Hammons, 65, died in a single-car rollover on Christmas Day.

Keefer’s body will be examined by the Alaska State Medical Examiner.

Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.