ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A man suspected of intentionally driving a snowmobile into teams of two mushers near the front of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race was arrested Saturday in a Yukon River village.
Arnold Demoski, 26, of Nulato was arrested on suspicion of assault, reckless endangerment, reckless driving and six counts of criminal mischief.
A message left for Demoski at his home was not immediately returned. He told the Alaska Dispatch News that he had not intentionally driven into the dog teams of Aliy Zirkle and Jeff King, but he had blacked out while returning from drinking in another village.
The crashes killed one of King’s dogs and injured at least two others 12 miles outside of Nulato. One of Zirkle’s dogs also was injured.
Zirkle, 46, was mushing on the Yukon River, when she was hit, race marshal Mark Nordman said Saturday.
The snowmobile hit the side of Zirkle’s sled, turned around multiple times and came back at her before driving off, Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said by email.
One dog on her team was bruised. Officials described the injury as non-life-threatening.
King, a four-time Iditarod champion, was behind Zirkle and fared worse. When King reached the vicinity, he was struck from behind by the snowmobile, and at least three of his dogs were hit. One was killed.
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