Three people have died in two fatal accidents that occurred in Nome and Elim in the early morning hours Sunday.
The first crash was between a dirt bike and a pickup three miles North of Nome. William C. Booth – also known as Chase – was reportedly riding the dirt bike, without a headlight, on the wrong side of the Glacier Creek Road when he collided with a pickup driven by Bryce Warnke-Green. He was brought to the Norton Sound Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Alcohol and marijuana involvement are suspected.
Chase is the son of two-time Iron Dog champion Evan Booth.
Roughly four hours later a rollover was reported on Moses Point Road, north of Elim. Heather Saccheaus, 19, was driving a Ford Ranger with five other passengers when she lost control of the truck and it rolled about 4 times. All but one passenger were ejected. Saccheus and Oscar Takak, 19, were declared dead on the scene. Two passengers were flown to Anchorage for treatment of serious, but non-life threatening injuries. Two others were treated at the Norton
Sound Regional Hospital for minor injuries. All occupants were from Elim and alcohol and speed are factors in the crash.
Laureli Kinneen is a reporter at KNOM in Nome.