ISLAND PARK – Five-year-old Catherine Cooper of Idaho Falls was the sole fatality in a July 4th crash near Island Park that injured six members of her family.
Catherine is being remembered for her bright spirit, playful sense of humor, and deep love for her sisters, cousins, neighbor friends and her pets.
The family, which has deep roots in Idaho Falls, was returning to their Island Park cabin following a perfect morning at the Ashton Fourth of July Parade when the crash happened, according to Catherine’s father, Scott Cooper.
The crash, which held up traffic for up to five hours, occurred at 11:43 a.m. on U.S. Highway 20 near milepost 380.8. by Harriman State Park.
RELATED: 1 dead, 7 hospitalized in two-vehicle rollover crash near Island Park
According to Idaho State Police, a 40-year-old driver from Shelley was headed west in a 2026 Freightliner semi-truck when they veered off the shoulder. The driver overcorrected and crossed the eastbound lane, colliding with the Cooper family’s 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan. All persons involved in the wreck were wearing seatbelts.
Catherine died at the scene while other members of the family and the semi-truck driver were taken to Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg for their non-life-threatening injuries.
While the condition of the semi-truck driver is unknown, Cooper described the extensive injuries sustained by other family members: his mother-in-law suffered spinal damage and a broken arm and hand; he sustained neck injuries and head wounds requiring staples; his wife Jessica has serious shoulder damage; his father-in-law suffered a broken arm and significant facial injuries; and daughters Morgan and Gwendolyn were badly bruised and cut by shattered glass.
Cooper shared thoughts about the heartbreaking loss of his daughter, describing Catherine as “perfect in every way.”
“The only thing that gives us comfort is that she was fast asleep in her car seat when the truck hit us and would have never felt anything,” he said. “I appreciate everyone who jumped out of their vehicles to help us.”
Cooper told EastIdahNews.com that Catherine, who would have turned six on Aug. 31, loved her sisters, dog Luna, cat Gato, and ferret Mr. Ferguson. She was known for her humor and love of making videos and was excited to join a children’s choir group this year alongside her sister.
“We lost another daughter 10 years ago due to a birth defect,” Scott said. “So, it’s just the same nightmare again for us. But we are happy her older sister Emi can finally meet her and wait for the rest of us.”
Adding a small glimmer of hope, the family’s dog Luna, who was in the minivan and had run off during the chaos of the crash, was found 26 hours later thanks to help from the Island Park community.
Services for Catherine have not yet been announced. EastIdahoNews.com will update as more information becomes available.
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