Construction company says its trucks weren’t involved in boy’s death

Construction company says its trucks weren’t involved in boy’s death

Construction company Granite Construction says its gravel trucks weren’t involved in an incident July 19 that killed an 8-year-old boy.

Noah Schwebach, of Eagle River, died at mile 58.7 of the Sterling Highway on July 19 after a large rock fell off an oncoming truck and crashed through the windshield of his family’s car, striking and killing him. The area where he was killed is under construction during an Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities highway expansion and rehabilitation project, contracted to Granite Construction.

The truck involved wasn’t identified immediately, and Alaska State Troopers are working with witnesses and Granite Construction to figure out what happened. On Thursday, a spokesperson for Granite Construction said in an emailed statement that the company had internally investigated and preliminarily found that it only had one truck involved in the project at the time of the accident, and it does not match witnesses’ descriptions of the truck involved.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

“The Granite truck was traveling southbound toward our pit, which is near MP 63.5,” the statement reads. “Additionally, we have determined that at the time of the incident our truck was some distance away, traveling empty back to the pit. We believe that the truck that caused the incident was unrelated to our project, driving material southbound on the Sterling Highway.”

The company is still working with troopers, who have indicated that they did not believe Granite Construction’s trucks were involved, according to the statement.

In an update issued July 21, troopers said they had tentatively identified the truck involved and were trying to determine what the circumstances were, including what the vehicle was hauling at the time, according to the dispatch. Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to call the Soldotna trooper post at 262-4453.

Reach Elizabeth Earl at eearl@peninsulaclarion.com.

More in News

Jason Criss stands for a photo in Soldotna, Alaska, after being named a qualifier for the Special Olympics USA Games on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna athlete to compete in 2026 Special Olympics USA Games

Thousands of athletes from across all 50 states will be competing in 16 sports.

The entrance to the Homer Electric Association office is seen here in Kenai, Alaska on May 7, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
HEA opens bids for real property

The deadline to submit bids is 5 p.m. on Aug. 11.

Arturo Mondragon-Lopez, Jr. (right) attends a change of plea hearing related to the October 2023 fatal shooting of Brianna Hetrick on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, at the Homer Courthouse in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Mondragon-Lopez sentenced for death of Homer woman

Arturo Mondragon-Lopez, Jr. accepted a plea deal in February for the shooting of Brianna Hetrick.

Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna OKs $395,000 capital plan

This year’s list of capital projects is “nominal compared to some past years,” according to officials.

A map of areas proposed for annexation by the City of Soldotna. (Provided by City of Soldotna)
Soldotna adds annexation proposal to ballot

The proposed annexation is split across five small areas around the city.

Nets are extended from North Kenai Beach in Kenai, Alaska, during the first day of the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘A really good day’

Kenai River personal use sockeye salmon dipnet fishery opens.

The entrance to the Kenai Peninsula Borough building in Soldotna is seen here on June 1. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough assembly to consider ordinance to increase residential property tax exemption

If approved by voters in October, the ordinance would increase the tax exemption by $25,000.

Vice President Kelly Cooper speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough considers seasonal sales tax rate

Borough sales tax would be modified from a flat 3% to a seasonal model of 4% in summer months and 2% in winter months.

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in