Family of four killed near Saskatoon
Woman charged with four counts of impaired driving causing death
SASKATOON — The Van De Vorst family welcomed 2016 by admiring the Northern Lights on New Year’s Eve. Photographing the lights was a passion for Jordan Van De Vorst, and he wanted his wife and children to share the experience.
Barely 48 hours later, a midnight collision at a notorious intersection on the outskirts of Saskatoon ended their lives.
A 49-year-old woman has been charged with four counts of impaired driving causing death.
Police say Jordan Van De Vorst, 34, his wife Chanda Van De Vorst, 33, and their two children were travelling on Highway 11 shortly after midnight Sunday when their vehicle was struck by a Jeep Wrangler attempting to cross the highway.
Both adults were dead by the time police arrived; the two children — five-year-old daughter Kamryn and two-year-old son Miguire — died later in hospital.
Friends said Jordan spoke often about his wife and young children.
“He was a dedicated family man. He loved his family. He was always talking about his wife and kids,” said Colin Chatfield, who heads a photo group in Saskatoon.
A microbiologist with a passion for photography, Van De Vorst belonged to a group of aurora borealis photographers in the city.
“We were talking about going out the night of the crash after he got home, but he never got back to anybody,” said friend and photographer Michael Murchison. “We just assumed he went home to bed.”
Chatfield said news of the fatal crash hit the tight-knit community hard. After learning about the tragedy, other core members of the group took photos to honour their friend.
Another friend, Jacqui Ferguson, wrote a touching post on the group’s Facebook page, calling the collision “a terrible tragedy.”
“He was such a loving husband and father,” Ferguson wrote.
“On New Year’s Eve his highlight was getting the whole family out to see the auroras. With 2 small kids (2& 5) it rarely if ever happened. Chanda rarely saw them either, as she would be home with the kids while he was out shooting. She was so supportive of him, and he of her …”
Van de Vorst posted several photos of his smiling children on Facebook. They sat on Santa’s lap a few weeks ago. On New Year’s Day, they went tobogganing.
The last picture he posted was of a sparkling snowflake. As word of the tragedy spread, friends and family began changing their profile pictures to the image.
In a statement released through the Saskatoon Health Region, friends and family said Kamryn “passed away peacefully at Royal University Hospital.” They asked for privacy.
Catherine Loye McKay appeared Monday in Saskatoon provincial court, charged with three counts of impaired driving causing death. The fourth charge was laid later, after Kamryn’s death was confirmed.
McKay, who serves as executive director of the Saskatoon Sports Council and is involved with high impact wrestling, barely moved during her brief court appearance, looking almost catatonic. She is set to appear in court again Thursday.
The intersection where the collision happened has been the scene of multiple fatal crashes and other serious incidents in recent years.
“When I heard of yet more deaths, it made me sick,” Warman Mayor Sheryl Spence said.
“What’s it going to take for us to give it more attention? I don’t know what the holdup is.”
Spence said all options need to be considered. Some residents have called for lights. Others want various design changes. Some are calling for lower speed limits or a complete closure of the intersection from one or both sides.
“If changes make it inconvenient but safe, that’s what you have to do,” Spence said.