Children identified in van crash

GRAND FORKS — The North Dakota Highway Patrol has released the identities of two children killed, and a third child and the drivers of the van and semi truck injured Wednesday morning in a U.S. Highway 2 collision west of here.

Kaylee-Jo Marie, 8, and Kevin Boyer III, 5, both passengers in the van that collided with a semi truck, were killed.

Another child in the van, XXAXX Boyer (pronounced Zax), 3, was injured and transported to Altru Hospital, the Patrol release stated.

The driver of the 1995 GMC Safari Van, Kevin Boyer Jr., 39, also was transported with injuries to Altru Wednesday, as was the driver of the 2005 Volvo semi truck, Steven Nelson.

The crash occurred about 9:57 a.m. Wednesday when the van, traveling north at Grand Forks County Road 5, was preparing making a left turn onto U.S. Highway 2 and collided with the semi in the eastbound lanes of U.S. 2. The intersection connects with Airport Road.

The collision remains under investigation by the Highway Patrol, which said the extent of the seatbelt and child restraint usage in the van remains unclear. The updated report said Kevin Boyer was not wearing a seat belt, but the 8-year-old girl was wearing one. Nelson, the truck driver, was wearing a seat belt, the report states.

The intersection is controlled by traffic signals.

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