Avalanche clearing work was delayed until Sunday on the Richardson Highway, where multiple slides occurred on Thursday due to pedestrians on the highway according to trooper dispatch.

It was on Saturday that two pedestrians on their way to Valdez on the Richardson Highway at mile 39, were advised that they needed to turn around as clearing operations were taking place on the highway to clear avalanches that occurred on Friday.

Clearing work on the highway came to a halt when the two pedestrians did not heed the orders from DOT.

Troopers were called in to deal with the situation, but the two individuals continued to ignore even the troopers orders.

As a result, 20-year-old Donney Carlson and 22-year-old Kristina Clark were arrested and flown to the Valdez Jail via helicopter on charges of Obstruction of the Highway and Disorderly Conduct.

Subsequently, clearing work was postponed because of the two pedestrians and did not continue until Sunday morning.