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The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 10:58 a.m., Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Makakilo couple killed in Alaska motor home crash

By David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writer

 

Alaska State Troopers were told yesterday that a 38-foot, 2007 motor home carrying two Hawai'i couples ran off Seward Highway at milepost 25, went into a ditch and then struck several trees.

Alaska State Troopers

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An Alaskan vacation with friends turned into tragedy for two couples from Hawai'i when the motor home they were in crashed yesterday near Seward, Alaska, killing a husband and wife.

Alaska State Troopers have identified those killed in the crash as Jeffrey and Dawn Klausing, both 41. The Klausings, who were Makakilo residents, were passengers in the motor home, which was being driven by Dale Podoll, said Beth Ipsen, a spokeswoman for the Alaska State Troopers.

Podoll, a Waikele resident, received minor injuries in the crash and refused medical treatment at the scene, Ipsen said. Podoll's wife, Eilene Podoll, was airlifted to an Anchorage hospital in critical condition, Ipsen said. An update on her condition was not available this morning.

Three other people in the motor home were taken by ambulance to various hospitals on the Seward Peninsula, Ipsen said.

They were identified as Catherine Dagata, 28, Donald Bobilya, 74, and Fatima Leonard, whose age was not immediately available.

Ipsen said the Trooper's office received word of the crash at 3:23 p.m. Alaska time yesterday afternoon. The office was told that the 38-foot, 2007 motor home ran off Seward Highway at milepost 25, went into a ditch and then struck several trees.

None of those in the motor home was wearing a seat belt, including the driver, Ipsen said.

The cause of the accident, which happened on a straight stretch of road, had not been determined as of this morning, Ipsen said. Alcohol is not suspected to be a factor, she said.

She said investigators believe those traveling in the motor home knew one another from working together in Hawai'i.

David White, of Maryland, is Eilene Podoll's twin brother and has been in Hawai'i taking care of his and Eilene's elderly mother while Eilene and her husband were vacationing.

"Jeffrey (Klausing) and Dale (Podoll) were best friends," White said. "They worked together for the Department of Defense. They left for Alaska last Tuesday and were supposed to return this Saturday."

White said he believes the Klausings had two young children, a boy and a girl, who accompanied their parents on the trip to Alaska but who were not in the motor home when it crashed.

Two other motor homes were part of a group of three that were traveling together with the Podolls and Klausings, White said.

He said the two families had undertaken a similar trip to Alaska last year.

Reach David Waite at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com.