Musher out of Iditarod after deadly crash

ALASKA A rookie New Hampshire musher has decided against running in this year’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race after her team of sled dogs veered onto a busy Alaska highway and collided with a pickup truck, killing one dog and injuring three others.

Jaye Foucher withdrew from both the world’s most famous sled dog race and a shorter Alaska race, the Willow 300, on Monday, Anchorage TV station KTUU reported.

Foucher’s team was struck Jan. 19 on the Parks Highway near the community of Willow, about 122 kilometres north of Anchorage, Alaska State Troopers reported at the time. Troopers said the team moved onto the busy highway from a trail because of an obstacle. A pickup travelling on the main highway between Anchorage and Fairbanks collided with the dog team.

The pickup driver was among those who helped Foucher and her dog team. One dog died at the scene, three others are still recovering from their injuries and two dogs that ran away after the accident have returned, Foucher said.