Fatal Truck Accident on US Highway 71 in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 09, 2026

A Volvo semi-truck struck a Honda Odyssey and three other cars on US Highway 71 in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 9, 2026.

Olga Sorbalo, 35, died shortly afterward at Truman Medical Center. Her sons Luis, 8, and Samir, 4, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to court documents.

The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office said traffic was slowing or stopping when the truck hit the Odyssey, setting off a series of collisions. Prosecutors reported no evidence of emergency braking by the truck before impact.

Three other people in the minivan sustained serious injuries and were hospitalized: Olga’s husband, Liviu Sorbalo; their 2-year-old son, Rafael; and Liviu’s sister, whose name was not provided.

The truck driver, Eldar Skander, 39, of Chicago, sustained minor injuries. He faces three counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter. The charges are allegations, not findings of guilt.

Investigators found a tablet on the floor of the truck, according to the prosecutor’s office. Velcro on the back of the tablet matched a strip attached to the dashboard.

The Sorbalo family lived in Vancouver, Washington, and had traveled to Kansas City to visit Liviu’s sister. A relative said they were heading to the airport for their flight home when the collision occurred.

Olga was the daughter of Alexei Cosovan, the minister at Moldovian Baptist Church in Vancouver. A fundraiser was established to help cover the cost of transporting Olga and her sons back to Vancouver for burial.