A Washington family was heading to the airport after visiting loved ones when a semi-truck slammed into their minivan in Kansas City, Missouri, killing a mother and two of her young sons.
Olga Sorbalo, 35, and her sons Luis, 8, and Samir, 4, died following the November 9 crash on U.S. Highway 71. Her husband, Liviu, and their youngest child survived, leaving relatives mourning three family members while helping the survivors recover.
The truck driver, Eldar Skander, 39, of Chicago, now faces three counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors allege he approached slowing traffic at a high rate of speed and struck the family’s Honda Odyssey near East 19th Street, setting off a chain-reaction collision involving two SUVs and a delivery truck.
Investigators found no signs of emergency braking before the impact, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office. The two boys died at the scene, while their mother died at a hospital. Several other people were seriously injured.
Inside the semi’s cab, police recovered a tablet from the floorboard with the YouTube app open. Court records also described a dashboard mount positioned where the driver could see the screen. Investigators recovered a dash camera that may have recorded the collision, but the discovery of the tablet alone does not establish that Skander was watching a video when the crash happened.
Skander received hospital treatment for minor injuries and later declined an interview with detectives. A judge set his bond at $150,000 cash only. Jail records also showed an ICE detainer, according to local reporting. The available reports did not establish whether he had entered a plea or retained an attorney.
For the Sorbalo family, the trip home has become an effort to bring Olga and the boys back to Vancouver, Washington, for their funerals. Her brother, Daniel Cosovan, told KGW the family had been traveling to catch their flight when the truck hit them from behind.
Their youngest child was well enough to return to Washington with relatives, while Liviu remained hospitalized in Missouri, according to reporting on the family’s fundraiser. Loved ones said he faces an extended recovery and will be unable to work for some time.
The fundraiser is helping cover transportation, funeral expenses and the family’s immediate needs. Its organizers described a loss felt throughout the family and their church community, where Olga’s father serves as a minister.
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