A teenage driver died Thursday afternoon in a car crash in Wasilla, according to Alaska State Troopers.
Troopers said in an online dispatch that 911 calls about the collision on North Seward Meridian Parkway came in just before 1 p.m. Thursday. Jessalyn Helms, 19, was severely injured in the crash and taken to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, where she died, troopers said.
Troopers spokesman Austin McDaniel said Helms had been driving a Honda sedan in the three-vehicle collision, which occurred near Cottonwood Elementary School at the parkway’s intersection with East Country Field Circle. One other person was taken to a hospital after the crash as a precaution.
A preliminary investigation showed that the crash occurred when Helms failed to yield to another vehicle, McDaniel said.
Troopers said Helms’ next of kin have been notified.
Chris Klint is a web producer and breaking news reporter at Alaska Public Media. Reach him at cklint@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Chris here.
