Woman dies in crash during trooper chase

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

Alaska State Troopers badge.

Alaska State Troopers badge.

A Nikiski woman died on Saturday after her vehicle collided with another while she was being pursued by Alaska State Troopers, according to a Sept. 19 dispatch from Alaska’s Department of Public Safety.

Olivia Mapes, 22, of Nikiski, was driving a Subaru sedan at around 2:06 p.m. on Saturday when troopers attempted to stop her for swerving across the center and fog lines on the Kenai Spur Highway, according to the trooper dispatch.

Mapes turned off the Kenai Spur Highway and was pursued by troopers. She collided with a northbound Chevy truck and crashed at the intersection of the Kenai Spur Highway and Island Lake Road, the dispatch said.

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Mapes, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Mapes had outstanding arrest warrants at the time of the collision, troopers said.

The occupants of the truck were wearing seat belts and were uninjured.

Mapes’ next of kin have been notified, and investigation into the crash is ongoing.

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