People across Saskatchewan are paying respects to a woman and two young girls who were killed in a vehicle collision near Foam Lake. The victims — ages 40, five and eight — were all from Foam Lake. According to a social media post, the family of the victims have asked members of the community to place stuffed animals on their steps; one for each girl. “I put out 2 stuffies for the little girls from Foam Lake that were tragically killed,” read the post of a woman from Wynyard. “My sticks are also still out for the Humboldt Broncos, they have always been out since their accident. Life is too short. Hug your loved ones & tell them you love them. Tomorrow is never granted.” Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck also offered her condolences. “Absolutely heartbreaking. My thoughts are with the family mourning such a tragic loss,” she wrote. RCMP say they were called to respond to the incident shortly after 12:30 p.m. Friday. An investigation determined that a truck driver crashed into an SUV while attempting to pass a semi on a grid road roughly nine kilometres west of Foam Lake. The woman was driving the SUV while the girls were two of her passengers. A third passenger in the SUV was a man who was taken to hospital by STARS Air Ambulance with “serious” injuries, according to police. The truck had two passengers that were also hurt — one with injuries described as serious and another with non-life-threatening injuries. The 40-year-old driver was also taken to hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. Originally from Sumter, South Carolina, Kelly Knopf has since been charged with multiple counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm.
