RIGGINS, Idaho — Authorities believe a car crash that killed a family of four in Idaho over the weekend happened after the 17-year-old driver fell asleep on a curvy road and the vehicle went off a cliff, falling 30 feet into a river.
A fisherman found the car upside down and partially submerged in the Salmon River north of Riggins on Saturday, the Idaho County Coroner’s office said.
Four people inside the car were found dead. Authorities confirmed they were members of a family from Spokane that were heading to Council, Idaho, and had been reported missing.
The deceased were Calvin “CJ” Miller, 36, and his three children, Dakota Miller, 17, Jack Miller, 10, and Delilah Miller, 8, the coroner’s office said.
Sheriff’s deputies believe that Dakota was fatigued and fell asleep, according to the accident report released Wednesday.
“Due to this, Dakota drove off the highway, striking a large pile of rocks sending the vehicle airborne,” the report said. “The vehicle struck another large pile of rocks, flipping the vehicle over end and landing upside down in the Salmon River.”
Deputies believe water filled the vehicle through a broken window, causing the family to drown, the report said.
CORRECTION (June 16, 2023, 12:19 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misrepresented the gender of the driver of the vehicle. The driver was female, not male.
