By SUZANNE DOWNING
July 25, 2026 – Former Anchorage Assembly member and retired teacher Karen Bronga died Friday in a head-on collision on the Sterling Highway that seriously injured one driver and closed the highway for approximately eight hours.
Bronga, 64, was a passenger in a northbound motor home when it was struck by a southbound Dodge pickup near Mile 62 in the Skilak Lake area, according to the Alaska State Troopers.
Troopers were notified of the collision at 1:36 pm Friday. A preliminary investigation determined that the pickup drifted into the northbound lane and struck the oncoming motor home.
Bronga, an Anchorage resident, was declared dead at the scene. Her next of kin were notified, and her body was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.
The adult male driving the motor home was transported to a Kenai Peninsula hospital with injuries described as not life-threatening. The adult female driving the pickup suffered serious injuries and was flown to an Anchorage hospital.
The Sterling Highway was closed in both directions for approximately eight hours while investigators documented the scene and crews removed the damaged vehicles and debris, which was extensive enough to require Dumpsters to be brought on site.
Bronga was a retired Anchorage School District teacher who represented East Anchorage on the Anchorage Assembly from 2023 to 2025.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Troopers said alcohol does not appear to have been a factor.
6 thoughts on “Former Anchorage Assembly member Karen Bronga dies in Sterling Highway crash”
God rest her soul.
If Bronga was in Christ and lived for Christ and not one of the many false gospel Christ’s that many church pastors are preaching.
We can’t know for sure know where she is. The public life she lived and people she supported didn’t exemplify the real Christ and Lord of the bible.
I must be truthful. Because I walk around , I drive around, and the Alaskans I come across. I don’t see a whole lot of real brothers and sisters in Christ in Alaska.
Doesn’t mean a Christian got to be perfect but there is something that makes them oddly different from everyone else.
Her longer life lived was a blessing God allowed her to live a life that was longer for her to enjoy the blessings she enjoyed that He gives us all to be enjoyed.
Her riding a bicycle to a community council showed she appreciated God’s outdoor creations.
Baby boomers they need to get more serious about God the Father whom created all things of earth and the blessings that baby boomers have either enjoyed or taken for granted or overlooked. Baby boomers are getting so old they are running of time. GenXers and Millennials are coming up next when we see half our generations have left.
This is so judgmental. Who are you to decide if a person is worthy. Live the religious life you profess being judgmental is wrong.
Long highways are extremely dangerous not because of speed so much. It’s getting sleepy and eyelids get heavy. You literally have to roll down your window and use your eye muscles to widen your eyelids to make them work instead of staying relaxed.
That’s where prayer to God the Father comes. Not enough Alaskans pray to the Father in Heaven. Trusting in themselves only or trusting in the grace of God they heard so much about thinking it’ll just come without even Asking for it.
I was coming up from Seward after 8pm yesterday night. I asked God the Father, “ please take the sleepy Zzzz from my body driving back to Anchorage, so I can enjoy your creation along the drive so not to miss any of your beauty.” Because even my eyelids get heavy and droopy on the Seward and Glenn.
Guess what! I wasn’t tired one bit from 8:45-midnight when I reached Anchorage. Unusual. I usually do get tired because car rides are relaxing. Last night drive was the Most Vivid drives ever.
Very Judgemental & disrespectful post. This Woman lost her life & Family is grieving. I this the type of thing you want posted for your Love One?