Alaska State Troopers responded to a single vehicle crash on the North Island Road after receiving a report of the crash at 6:55 pm on Saturday.

When troopers arrived at the scene of the accident at mile 22.5 of the North Island Road, their investigation determined that 50-year-old Naukati resident John Hillaird was traveling southbound on the road in his 1998 GMC Yukon when he left the road and went into the southbound side ditch. After entering the ditch on that side of the road, Hilliard came back out of the ditch, crossed both lanes of the road and went into the northbound side ditch and collided with the embankment there.

Hilliard, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time, suffered injuries in the collision with the embankment and was transported by EMS to the Klawock Airport where he was further transported to Ketchikan for treatment of his injuries. His vehicle suffered approximately $3,000 worth of damage in the incident.

Troopers determined that alcohol was a factor in the incident and a DUI investigation into the crash is continueing.

Further investigation into Hilliard found that he was violating his conditions of release in a prior case involving the operation of a vehicle with a cancelled driver’s license.