Truck drives over tent in N.D., 2 kids die

Don Murray/Getty Images

(CBS/AP) BISMARCK, N.D. - Prosecutors say they have charged a pickup driver accused of killing two young brothers from Texas and injuring two others when he lost control of his vehicle and drove over their tent at a North Dakota campground.

Bottineau County prosecutor Swain Benson says 30-year-old Juan Acosta is charged with two counts of manslaughter, two counts of reckless endangerment, one count of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and drunken driving.

Acosta, of Newburg, is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.

The Highway Patrol says Acosta lost control of his truck shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday in the Hahn's Bay Campground at Lake Metigoshe.

The patrol says the truck drove over the tent, killing a 5-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy and injuring another 9-year-boy and a man.

The truck then crashed into a tree.

Troopers say 28-year-old Juan Ruiz of El Paso, Texas, was flown to a Minot hospital with serious injuries. The surviving 9-year-old has minor injuries. The patrol only identified Ruiz.

The driver also received minor injuries, reports the Minot Daily News. Two passengers in the truck were not hurt.

According to a statement from the Highway Patrol, the vehicle's three occupants were not wearing safety restraints.

[payanperla]

**** this guy. this ass hole killed my sons best friends. their is no words to explain the pain he has caused to my son and their mom. he deseves to rot in jail.Those two boys were full of life, loved their mom and dad to the fullest.he has destroyed a family and my dear friend Sandy did not deserve this. She was the best mother ever. Cyrus and Alydus were the coolest little boys i had ever met. My son will truly miss them. So will i..

[rtavis]

He'll probably get off on an involuntary manslaughter charge and server two or three years.

In the old days, there would have been a public hanging within a couple weeks. Sometimes I long for the old days...

[nohater]

give the driver the death penalty and execute him. isn't everyone tired of drunk drivers by now especially those that kill innocent people?

[Lerianis6]

No, because if we do that, the bottom line is that some jackass is going to try and expand that to other things.

Execution /= to justice ever.

[Ulgnud]

Zooming around in a campground at 1 AM when people are trying to sleep and then killing someone in the process. I suspect the police moved quickly to secure the scene. He might have been clobbered by the other tenants otherwise.

[knewsteerrrrr]

Innocent wildlife and the overpopulated planet thank you Juan!

[63laura]

losing control of a vehicle in a campground obviously the
person got his license in a box of cereal. Two little
children are dead because of this moron. Rest in peace
little ones may God hold you and keep you forever.

[112844]

I'll help the local law enforcement here. At 1:00 O'clock in the morning in oil drilling country, three guys in a pickup, driving wild and dangerous. CHECK THE BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL !!!!