GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Nearly two years after a deadly crash on Highway 2 near the Grand Forks Airport, Travis Bell heard from the family he forever changed and learned how long he’ll spend in prison.

Bell, 45, of Fordville, pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular homicide and injury for the June 2024 crash. Investigators say he had been drinking, was about 20 miles over the speed limit, eating and looking at his phone when he rear-ended Nicole Louthain’s SUV at a red light near the airport.

Nicole was seriously hurt. Her 6-year-old daughter, Katarina, died in the hospital. Her husband Robert serves at the Grand Forks Air Force Base.

Family shares impact of loss

“I could not help her. I could not reach her. That moment replays in my dreams and it follows me to my waking hours. It shapes how I sleep how I think how I function and how I exist in the world,” Nicole Louthain said.

“When my wife miraculously lived and held our only child with me listening to her precious heartbeat fade into silence, Mr. Bell walked free from custody and went home to reassure his family that he was ok,” Robert Louthain said.

Four victim impact statements were given, including from Robert and Nicole. Forty-six people wrote letters supporting Bell’s character and asking for leniency.

“I’ve had two years to think about all the things I could say. There’s no words of mine that will make this day or that day go away. Time heals. I’m truly sorry for the loss I have caused,” Bell said.

Judge issues maximum sentence

Judge Theodore Sandberg rejected a shorter term and gave Bell the maximum under his plea deal: six years in prison, three years supervised probation and two years in a sobriety program.

“When we were speaking about this upcoming sentencing and this plea agreement that called for the potential of 3-6 years, I remember Robert saying I hope he gets the six years so that he can see how short of a period of time that is. I thought wow that’s perspective. 6 years might seem like a lot of Mr. Bell, but it was a short period of time in the life of a child,” Sandberg said.

The Louthains say no sentence can match their loss. But they’re using this case to push for tougher DUI laws in North Dakota in Katarina’s name.

PERRY TWP., Ohio (WKBN) — The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a Monday morning crash involving a semi-truck that resulted in a woman’s death.

Yolanda Medina Matos, 58, of Campbell, died at the hospital Monday as a result of injuries from a crash around 10 a.m. Monday. The two-vehicle crash happened on state Route 344 at the intersection of Cunningham Road.

A release from authorities states the other driver, a 51-year-old Salem man, was taken to the hospital as a precaution with no apparent injuries.

The release states a car driven by Matos failed to yield at a stop sign at the intersection and was hit by a semi-truck.

In its news release, OSHP reminded drivers of the importance of coming to a complete stop at stop signs and only proceeding through an intersection when it is clear of traffic.

News

Eastern South Dakota farmer finishes planting ahead of schedule

A farmer in eastern South Dakota says the growing season is off to a good start on his farm now that the corn and soybeans have been planted.

Scott VanderWal, who farms in Brookings County, tells Brownfield “We had a small delay right around the May 1 where we got a couple inches of rain. That was really welcome, and then we went the rest of the way and got it all planted. I think for the most part, most farmers are about done around here, which is fairly early.”

VanderWal says some of the corn is up and soybeans are starting to poke up out of the soil.

In its latest crop progress report, USDA says South Dakota’s corn is 81 percent planted, a 28-point jump from the previous week, with 22 percent of the crop emerged. Fifty-nine percent of the state’s soybeans are planted, a 25-point jump from the previous week with 10 percent of the crop emerged.

VanderWal says rain is needed to help the crops, because it’s been dry in South Dakota. He says while much of the state received rain over the weekend, it skipped the Brookings area, and he’s optimistic some will find the farm this week.

“Sure would love to have an inch of rain or two.”

Temperatures are also expected to dip down to the mid-to-upper 30 degrees this week in parts of South Dakota, but VanderWal says he’s not too worried. 

Hear Brownfield’s interview with VanderWal.