An Upstate New York man was charged by state police for causing the deaths of three people, including his own sister and niece, after a road collision.
On June 17, about midday, Evan Klink was driving his Dodge Ram when he veered into the lane of oncoming traffic, colliding with a 2005 Ford Focus driven by his sister, Dahlia Klink.
Dahlia, 24, succumbed to her injuries a day after the incident. Her daughter, Molly Kibler, 6, and Havanah Lopez, 17, were declared dead at the scene on Freedom Road. A young passenger, aged 4, was seriously injured and airlifted to the hospital. Cameron Klink, Evan’s 19-year-old brother who was also in the Dodge, sustained serious injuries.
According to charges filed by state police, Klink was allegedly under the influence of drugs during the incident. As a result, he faces three counts of second-degree murder. He also faces charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, first-degree vehicular manslaughter, first-degree vehicular assault, driving while impaired by drugs, and reckless driving.
Although early witness reports indicated that Klink swerved into the oncoming lane, state police continue to investigate the circumstances of this maneuver to discern if it was intentional.
A local pastor, Steven Hammond, shared that Klink regretted the incident and said, “I walked with Evan, who was the driver, and there is not one second where he wouldn’t trade places.” Hammond outlined the supportive atmosphere between Klink and his sister’s fiancé, both present at the hospital, describing it as a moment of “grace and love.”
State police are yet to release more details about the crash. Dahlia leaves behind her fiancé and another daughter. The youngest victim, Molly Kibler, loved soccer, camping, and had a particular liking for elephants, as mentioned in her obituary.