Idaho
Family of four tragically killed after teen daughter fell asleep at the wheel, drove off cliff: cops
An Idaho teenager fell asleep at the wheel, causing her to drive off a cliff and resulting in the deaths of herself, her father and her two siblings, according to police.
Divorced dad Calvin Miller, 36, was taking his three kids – Dakota, 17, Jack, 10, and Delilah, 8 – to see their grandfather in hospice care on Saturday when their vehicle plummeted 30 feet into the Salmon River north of the city of Riggins.
Police confirmed Wednesday the tragic accident was likely caused by Dakota falling asleep behind the wheel due to fatigue from the family’s 274 mile trip from their home in Spokane, Washington, to Council, Idaho.
“Dakota drove off the highway, striking a large pile of rocks, sending the vehicle airborne,” the incident report reads.
“The vehicle struck another large pile of rocks, flipping the vehicle over end and landing upside down in the Salmon River.”
Their vehicle was discovered partially submerged by a local fisherman, with police believing the family likely drowned to death.
Zella Blair, Miller’s ex and mother of Jack and Delilah, said her family was distraught by the news.
“I don’t know if I can get used to them not coming through the door after school and yelling for me again,” Blair, who was co-parenting her kids with Miller, told KREM2.
“They were huge. They were my whole life.”
The heartbroken mother said she had dropped off Jack and Delilah on Friday to spend the weekend with their dad, and that she was unaware of his plans to visit their grandfather.
Blair said it was Miller’s current partner, Amberlynn Weber, who broke the news to her.
“I feel really bad for Amber though because she did lose all four people of her household,” Blair said.
“Even though they weren’t her blood kids, she was always really great to them.”
Scott Henri, Amberlynn’s stepfather, said his kin was also torn apart by the tragedy, describing Miller and his children as a wonderful addition to their own family.
“Calvin was a truly exceptional human being, and we’re lucky to have had the time with him that we did,” Miller told KREM2.
“His kind heart and sensitive soul, not to mention his amazing sense of humor, brought a richness to our lives that can’t be replaced.”
Idaho
Idaho teen is arrested in connection with a dead infant found in a baby box at a hospital
BLACKFOOT, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho teenager has been arrested in connection with the body of an infant found last month at a hospital in a box meant for people to anonymously give up a newborn, police said Friday.
The Blackfoot Police Department said in a social media post that an 18-year-old from Twin Falls, about 130 miles (210 kilometers) southeast of Boise, had been arrested there and booked into the Bingham County Jail.
She was arrested on a felony arrest warrant for failing to report a death to law enforcement officials and the coroner, police said.
Police in Blackfoot responded to a report Oct. 13 of a deceased baby left at Grove Creek Medical Center. Safe Haven Baby Boxes founder Monica Kelsey has said hospital staff responded immediately to an alarm indicating a baby was in the box and realized that the infant had died before being placed inside.
Idaho law only allows for the surrender of an infant who is unharmed.
“The Safe Haven Baby Box is intended to safely and anonymously allow custodial parents to surrender a newborn under 30 days old without legal repercussions, provided the child is unharmed,” police said in the social media post. “Unfortunately, the placement of a harmed or deceased infant is not protected under this system or Idaho law.”
The baby had been wrapped in a blanket, and the placenta was still attached, Kelsey said previously.
Police said they weren’t releasing further information in part because more charges could be filed.
Idaho
University of Idaho housing renovation earns state approval
The Idaho State Board of Education Thursday signed off on a nearly $163 million on-campus housing proposal from University of Idaho as its freshmen enrollment continues to grow.
Total enrollment since 2019 grew by 14%, with freshmen enrollment up 42% during that same period.
That’s a problem since the school’s housing is over capacity, and many of the buildings are in disrepair, like the South Hill Apartments, which will be torn down and newly replaced.
“We have four of those buildings that have already been demolished over the last 10 years and another three buildings that have been mothballed and are currently offline because they’re quite literally uninhabitable,” said Brian Foisy, UI VP of Finance and Administration.
The university currently has capacity for 2,075 students to live on-campus, with another 200 overflow beds at a former motel nearby. Foisy said students are not satisfied with those converted motel rooms and UI doesn’t plan to renew its lease.
The upcoming project will also renovate dorms in the Wallace Residential Complex and Theophilus Tower, which are nearly 60 years old and make up the majority of the school’s capacity.
“The Moscow community simply does not have sufficient resources to meet the housing needs of these students, and available housing on the university campus is inadequate and well beyond useful life,” Foisy said.
UI will begin working with its contractors to begin demolition and complete initial utility work over the next several months.
State board of education members will need to approve a full finance plan, which UI will fully cover, in the first half of next year.
The first phase of new construction and renovations are expected to open Fall 2026, with the remaining work planned to be complete by Fall 2027.
Copyright 2024 Boise State Public Radio
Idaho
The Most Critical Part of UCLA’s Win Over Idaho State
The UCLA Bruins didn’t make it look all that pretty on Wednesday night, defeating Idaho State by a score of 84-70.
Yes, the final result is nice, but UCLA opened up a 27-point second-half lead at one point and allowed a far inferior opponent to eke its way back into the game.
Nevertheless, the Bruins improved to 4-1 with the victory, and we should probably focus on one key positive for the squad in the win: their three-point shooting.
Perimeter shooting had been a critical issue for UCLA over its first four games. Even in its 40-point triumph over Lehigh last Friday, the Bruins went just 3-of-13 from beyond the arc.
But against Idaho State, UCLA connected on nine of its 14 long-range attempts in what was, by far, its best shooting effort of the season.
Tyler Bilodeau went 4-of-4 from downtown, and Eric Dailey Jr. went 2-for-3.
Let’s not get it twisted: the Bruins are still a work in progress from deep. They are making just 31.7 percent of their three-pointers this season, which ranks 205th in the country.
It’s not far off from last year when UCLA finished 213th in the nation in three-point shooting in what ended up being a 16-17 campaign.
This is definitely an area in which the Bruins need to show dramatic improvement in order for anyone to take them seriously as legitimate contenders in the Big Ten, but Wednesday evening represented a major step forward for the team.
UCLA brought in four significant transfers for the 2024-25 campaign with the hope that the incoming talents would bolster their NCAA Tournament chances.
The Bruins entered the year ranked 22nd in the country, but a loss to New Mexico instantly dropped them out of the top 25.
The problem is that UCLA has not placed an incredible emphasis on outside shooting, which was clear in its defeat at the hands of New Mexico when it shot 5-of-23 from distance.
But again, baby steps. Beating Idaho State is expected, but it’s the little things the Bruins did in the process that made the victory more impressive.
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