CANDO, N.D. - The 6-year-old boy who wasn't wearing a car seat was thrown from the vehicle and died in a crash in northeast North Dakota was identified Friday, May 5, along with his parents who were also in the car but survived.
Eugene Cain, of St. John, was killed in the crash about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 4, three miles north of Cando on U.S. Highway 281.
Sgt. Robert Kennedy with the North Dakota Highway Patrol said that two vehicles were traveling northbound on Highway 281. A 1999 Pontiac Mountaineer, driven by Alden Cain, 52, and Kathy Cain, 47, was heading to a rural farmstead following a 2014 Toyota Prius driven by Todd Stephens, 44, of Devils Lake. Stephens had two passengers, a 10-year-old and an 8-year-old who was in a car seat.
Kennedy said Stephens slowed down and activated his turn signal to make a left hand turn but Alden Cain overtook the vehicle, trying to pass in the intersection, and was struck by the Prius on the passenger side. The Pontiac ended up in the east ditch and rolled over, ejecting Eugene Cain, who was only wearing a seat belt, Kennedy said.
The 6-year-old was taken to Towner County Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
ADVERTISEMENT
No one inside the Prius was injured. All three occupants were wearing seat belts or secured in a car seat. The Cains were airlifted to a Grand Forks hospital for medical treatment but have since been released.
The crash remains under investigation by the Highway Patrol. State law requires any child under the age of 7 to be in a car seat or booster.
