Victim identified in deadly Seward Highway crash near Portage

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Anchorage police have identified the victim in a deadly crash that shut the Seward Highway down for hours on Wednesday.

According to a community alert sent out by Anchorage police, the Seward Highway was closed near mile 78, near where the construction on the Placer River bridge is taking place. The highway was closed after the crash at 2:19 p.m. Police issued an updated community alert at 10:04 p.m. that all lanes of the Seward Highway had reopened.

Police wrote that the adult female driver of an SUV traveling southbound lost control and struck a pickup truck headed north, and was declared dead on scene. According to an update to the community alert, all three people who were inside the truck were transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The deceased victim was identified on Friday as 61-year-old Janelle Norman.

Police wrote that Anchorage police, Whittier police, and the Anchorage Fire Department have responded, as well as the major collision investigations unit.

This story has been updated with additional information.

Copyright 2022 KTUU. All rights reserved.