Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola and family suffer minor injuries in Anchorage car crash
Police say a westbound vehicle rear-ended the car carrying the Democratic nominee at a red light Saturday evening. Her campaign is rescheduling stops in Fairbanks and Bethel on medical advice, nine days before the Nov. 3 election.
As of 5:24 p.m. ET, Oct. 25, 2026
Alaska Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltola and her family suffered minor injuries Saturday evening in a three-vehicle crash in Anchorage while traveling to the Alaska Federation of Natives annual banquet, her campaign said Sunday, according to AP.
"Mary and her family sustained minor injuries but are in good spirits," campaign manager Cheryl Bruce said in a statement. "Unfortunately, per the advice of medical professionals, Mary's upcoming events in Fairbanks and Bethel will be rescheduled for later in the week as she takes time to recover."
According to the Anchorage Police Department, officers responded at about 6:55 p.m. local time on Oct. 24 to the intersection of O'Malley Road and Lake Otis Parkway. The preliminary investigation found that a vehicle traveling westbound on O'Malley Road struck the rear of a second vehicle, which then struck a third vehicle; both were stopped at the light.
The occupants of the second vehicle, including Peltola, were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The driver and sole occupant of the first vehicle was also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, and the occupant of the third vehicle refused medical transport. Police said the circumstances of the crash are under investigation (APD case 26-27979). Police have not announced any charges or said who was at fault.
The crash delays the start of Peltola's "Alaska Always Tour" in the final stretch of her competitive race against Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. The tour is set to resume Tuesday, Oct. 27, in Homer, with later stops going ahead as planned, the campaign said, according to AP and Politico.
Election Day is Nov. 3.
Sources
- AP, "Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola suffers minor injuries in car crash," Oct. 25, 2026
- Anchorage Police Department, "Traffic Collision: O'Malley Rd and Lake Otis Pkwy," APD case 26-27979, Oct. 25, 2026
- Politico, "Peltola postpones campaign stops after Saturday car crash," Oct. 25, 2026 (Cheryl Bruce statement; schedule)
