3 girls killed in Idaho by suspected drunk driver, deputies say

BLAINE COUNTY, Idaho — A 3-year-old girl, a 5-year-old girl and a 6-year-old girl were killed in a two-vehicle collision by a suspected drunk driver in Idaho early Saturday, the Blaine County Sheriff's Office announced.

Deputies said the crash occurred around 1:20 a.m. at a temporary traffic signal for a bridge construction project on Highway 20 at milepost 173 – east of Hot Springs Landing.

Arriving deputies said they found a 1995 Dodge pickup with extensive front end damage and a blue 2000 Dodge Neon with extensive rear damage at the scene.

Deputies said Matthew R. Park, 46, of Fairfield, Idaho, was the driver of the pickup and Somchai Ray Lee Lurak, 26, of Mountain Home, Idaho, was the driver of the Neon.

According to deputies, a 26-year-old woman was in Lurak’s passenger seat at the time of the crash and the three girls were in car seats in the rear seats of the car.

“From the investigation, deputies determined Lurak and his passengers were traveling westbound on Hwy 20 and were stopped at the construction site. Park was also traveling westbound on Hwy 20 and collided with the rear of the Dodge Neon in the westbound lane,” a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office wrote in a news release.

Deputies said the 5-year-old and the 6-year-old girl died at the scene while the 3-year-old girl died later at an area hospital.

Lurak was transported from the scene by helicopter and remains in an area hospital in critical condition, deputies said.

The 26-year-old passenger in Lurak’s car was later transferred to  St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise, Idaho, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said Park appeared uninjured and declined medical assistance.

“Deputies reported Park showed signs of intoxication. Park was given field sobriety tests and provided breath samples,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

Park was booked into the Blaine County Detention Center on suspicion of two counts of felony aggravated driving under the influence and three counts of felony vehicular manslaughter.

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