Spit crash injures tourist

Arkansas woman suffers major injuries when driver veered into her on the Homer Spit Trail.

By Emilie Springer • June 30, 2023 1:30 am
Traffic is backed up on the Homer Spit late Friday afternoon on June 20, 2023, in Homer, Alaska, while Homer Police and Homer Volunteer Fire Department staff respond to a tourist injured when she was hit by a car that veered onto the bike trail. (Photo by Christina Whiting/Special to the Homer News).
Traffic is backed up on the Homer Spit late Friday afternoon on June 20, 2023, in Homer, Alaska, while Homer Police and Homer Volunteer Fire Department staff respond to a tourist injured when she was hit by a car that veered onto the bike trail. (Photo by Christina Whiting/Special to the Homer News).

An Arkansas tourist suffered major injuries Friday afternoon after being struck by a car that veered into her while she used the Homer Spit bike and pedestrian trail.

Lily Casteel, 21, had to be transported by a Medevac aircraft to an Anchorage hospital. According to Homer Police Lt. Ryan Browning, Casteel is in stable condition.

In a press release posted on the Homer Police Facebook page and a phone interview with Browning, police said that at about 4:40 p.m. June 30, Tyler Brewer-Cote, 18, of Homer drove outbound on the Spit near Mile 2 when he went into the oncoming lane and the bike path and his car hit Casteel.

The crash closed or delayed traffic until about 9:30 p.m.

No arrests have been made or charges filed, and an investigation is ongoing, Browning said.