Twin Cities Parents, 3 Babies Die in Fiery Crash on Interstate 80

Five people killed Sunday morning in a western Nebraska crash along Interstate 80 were identified Monday as members of a St. Paul, Minnesota, family that was en route to a missionary training.

Jamison Pals and his wife Kathryne, both 29, along with their three children, Ezra, 3; Violet, almost 2; and Calvin, 2 months; were all pronounced dead after being hit by a westbound semitrailer shortly before 11:30 a.m. Sunday, reported the Omaha-World Herald. The crash occurred near Brule, Nebraska.

The semi driver, Tony A. Weekly, 53, of Baker, Florida, has since been arrested and charged with suspicion of motor vehicle homicide, according to The Pioneer Press.

Sources close the Pals family said the couple's life centered on charity work — most recently, consisting of back-and-forth mission trips to Japan through the nonprofit organization, WorldVenture.

“They were on their way to Littleton, Colorado, for a month of missionary training with WorldVenture,” Karen Pals, Jamison's sister, told reporters on Monday. “Then they were going to move to Japan to work, probably in October.”