A 19-year-old man died in a head-on collision involving a dirt bike and a pickup truck early Sunday morning near Nome, authorities said.
The crash occurred at 4:10 a.m. approximately 3 miles north of Nome. The victim, identified as William Chase Booth, was pronounced dead at Norton Sound Regional Hospital.
Booth was riding a dirt bike without a headlight southbound on the wrong side of Old Glacier Creek Road when it collided with a Chevrolet pickup driven by 22-year-old Bryce Warnke-Green, according to Alaska State Troopers.
Booth was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, authorities confirmed.
Trooper spokeswoman Beth Ipsen stated that Booth had recently left a party and was riding with another individual on a second unlit dirt bike. The position of the other rider at the time of the crash remains unclear.
While initial reports indicated Booth showed signs of alcohol and marijuana use, Ipsen later clarified that this claim is based on evidence from the scene and part of an ongoing investigation.
Investigators have not yet determined the speeds involved but suggest that high speeds may have contributed to the crash. The incident is currently under investigation.