(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - Although the Alaska State Legislature passed a law explicitly outlawing texting while driving in Alaska, all drivers haven't received the news or worse, have chosen to ignore -- so it would appear after a van driven by a Ketchikan teenager left the highway Sunday afternoon crashing into trees.

According to information released by Alaska State Troopers, the investigation of the crash revealed that Kody Elmer, 18 years old of Ketchikan, was operating a white passenger van traveling northbound on Tongass Highway while texting and the vehicle left the highway coming to a stop when it collided with trees. The white van was totaled.

Alaska State Troopers and the North Tongass Volunteer Fire Department responded to the single vehicle collision near 10 mile North Tongass Highway around 2:45 pm Sunday afternoon.

Elmer was treated for a minor injury at the scene. There were two minor children passengers in the van at the time of the collision. The children were not injured but were transported to the Ketchikan Peace Health Medical Center as a precaution.

Seatbelts were worn by all occupants. The investigation continues and no charges have been reported.

Earlier this month, an Anchorage 16-year-old, Murphy Gross, was indicted on manslaughter and felony texting-while-driving charges following a February accident that killed a 27-year-old mother of two in Midtown. Gross had a learner's permit but not a valid license.

It is illegal to text while driving in Alaska.

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Ketchikan, Alaska

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