Highway Patrol releases names of victims in Wednesday's U.S. 2 crash west of GF

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 Grand Forks.

Kaylee-Jo Marie Wyatt, 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, where he is listed in satisfactory condition this afternoon, a hospital spokeswoman said.

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. Nelson was treated and released Wednesday. Kevin Boyer is in satisfactory condition this afternoon, according to the hospital spokeswoman.

The crash occured 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, 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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