Land

2 Alaska Soldiers Dead, 2 Hurt in Multi-Car Crash

May 18, 2022Hannah Ray Lambert
Alaska soldiers

Pvt. Valsin David Tate Jr. (left) and Spc. Wyn Lyndon Jacob Abonita (right) died May 13, 2022, in a car crash just outside Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. US Army Alaska photos.

Two paratroopers from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson died May 13, 2022, in a multi-car crash that also injured two other soldiers, according to US Army Alaska officials.


Officials identified the deceased soldiers Tuesday afternoon in a press release as Pvt. Valsin David Tate Jr., a 23-year-old from New Orleans, and Spc. Wyne Lyndon Jacob Abonita, a 22-year-old from Japan. Both soldiers were Army fire control specialists assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment.


“This was a tragic situation, and the entire battalion is mourning the loss of two of our paratroopers,” Lt. Col. Dustin Blair, 2-377th PFAR commander, said in a statement. “As we mourn, it is important that we allow the ongoing investigation to go unhindered.”


The Anchorage Police Department is investigating the crash, which occurred Friday evening just outside the base and involved four vehicles.


The preliminary investigation indicated that a Dodge Challenger and a Mitsubishi Galant were both traveling south on the Glenn Highway when the drivers lost control of their vehicles. The Dodge hit a tree on the side of the highway and the Mitsubishi hit a Toyota Tundra, then rolled into oncoming traffic and hit a Chevrolet Silverado, according to a summary posted to the Anchorage Police Department’s Facebook page. Officers responded to the crash at 5:52 p.m.


Alaska soldiers crash
Two paratroopers were killed and two soldiers were injured after a crash involving four vehicles in Anchorage, Alaska. The crash happened on the Glenn Highway on May 13, 2022, just outside Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. US Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Michael Campbell.

Police said the driver and passenger of the Mitsubishi died at the scene. Officials have not revealed which vehicle or vehicles the other two soldiers were in; police said the two occupants of the Dodge and the two occupants of the Toyota were all taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.


One soldier had already been released from the hospital as of Saturday, according to a previous Army release. Army officials have not provided an update on the second injured soldier.


Friday’s crash came the same week that JBER lost another paratrooper to a bear attack. Staff Sgt. Seth Michael Plant was an infantryman with the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and was scouting a remote part of the base when he and another soldier got too close to a den containing a female brown bear and her two cubs.


Read Next: Neck Tattoos May Be OK for Space Force Recruits, but Not Air Force



Hannah Ray Lambert
Hannah Ray Lambert

Hannah Ray Lambert is a former staff writer for Coffee or Die who previously covered everything from murder trials to high school trap shooting teams. She spent several months getting tear gassed during the 2020-2021 civil unrest in Portland, Oregon. When she’s not working, Hannah enjoys hiking, reading, and talking about authors and books on her podcast Between Lewis and Lovecraft.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Military
US Launches Airstrikes in Syria After Drone Kills US Worker

While it’s not the first time the U.S. and Iran have traded airstrikes in Syria, the attack and the ...

March 24, 2023Associated Press
The Gift jason dunham
Entertainment
‘The Gift’ Explores the Life and Legacy of Medal of Honor Recipient Jason Dunham

"The Gift" tells the story of the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor after the Vietnam War. ...

March 24, 2023Mac Caltrider
uss milius
Intel
US Denies Chinese Claim It Drove Away American Destroyer

The U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet said that a statement from China's Southern Theatre Command that it had fo...

March 23, 2023Associated Press
ultramarathon
Military
The Speed Project: Vet Team To Run in Lawless, Invite-Only Ultramarathon

For the first time, a team of (mostly) US veterans and active-duty service members will run in The S...

March 23, 2023Jenna Biter
uranium-based ammo ammunition Ukraine UK depleted uranium
Intel
A Look At the Uranium-Based Ammo the UK Will Send to Ukraine

The British defense ministry on Monday confirmed it would provide Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium.

March 23, 2023Associated Press
Zaporizhzhia Ukraine Russia
Intel
Ukraine: Russia Hits Apartments and Dorm, Killing Civilians

“Russia is shelling the city with bestial savagery,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote in a Telegr...

March 22, 2023Associated Press
cold brew coffee soda float
Coffee
The Bitter Barista's Cold Brew Coffee Soda Float

Today, we combine the best of both worlds with this indulgent recipe, smashing together our love of coffee and ice cream with a cold brew coffee soda float!

March 21, 2023Heather Lynn
abrams tanks ukraine
Intel
US Speeds Up Abrams Tank Delivery to Ukraine War Zone

The original plan was to send Ukraine 31 of the newer M1A2 Abrams, which could have taken a year or ...

March 21, 2023Associated Press
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
  • Request a Correction
  • Write for Us
  • General Inquiries
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved