On Thursday evening, Alaska State Troopers in Soldotna were notified of a crash that had occurred at mile 106 of the Seward Highway at 7:45 pm.

Troopers from the Girdwood Post as well as the Alaska Bureau of Highway Patrol responded to the scene.

An initial investigation into the accident, showed that 24-year-old Seward resident Maria Kobzeva, driving a Suburu stationwagon, was southbound on the highway near Indian when she decided to pass the vehicle ahead of her.

At the same time, a Mercedes Sedan was traveling northbound. The Mercedes had two occupants, 69-year-old Per Bjorn-Roli and 69-year-old Maria Bjorn-Roli, both of Anchorage.

Kobzeva crashed into the Mercedes in the northbound lane.

Kobzeva’s passenger, 44-year-old Douglas C. Fletcher of Seward was pronounced dead at the scene.

All three of the others involved in the accident were transported to Anchorage hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries by ambulance.

Fletcher’s next of kin have been notified.

The investigation into the accident continues.