Snowmachine crashes injure 3

Three people were injured in two separate snowmachine accidents Wednesday evening.

Central Emergency Services paramedics responded to a report of a snowmachine that collided at high speed with a road grader near Dana Bayes off Murwood Avenue shortly after 5 p.m.

The 16-year-old girl driving the snowmachine received a fractured right leg and right arm and her 17-year-old female passenger sustained a fracture to the lower part of her left leg. Both girls were wearing helmets, and were taken by CES ambulance to Central Peninsula Hospital for further evaluation and treatment.

The road grader operator was not injured.

Alaska State Trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said the 16-year-old was cited for operating a snowmachine on a roadway.

At 5:45 p.m., CES responded to a report of a snowmachiner who was injured when his machine struck a culvert near Mile 88 of the Sterling Highway.

A 34-year-old male received a 5-inch to 6-inch long laceration to his upper right thigh after hitting the handlebar or shifter according to CES. The man, who was wearing a helmet, was taken by CES ambulance to CPH for evaluation and treatment.

Peters did not identify the male snowmachiner.

Phil Hermanek can be reached at phillip.hermanek@peninsulaclarion.com.