Young Girls Survive Whidbey Island Crash That Killed Their Father

WHIDBEY ISLAND, WA — Two 4-year-old twin girls found their way to safety after a crash that killed their father in Whidbey Island Friday evening. According to Washington State Patrol, the car went over an embankment on Bob Galbreath Road and crashed into several trees shortly before 6 p.m. Friday. Investigators said they did not know why the car left the road.

Troopers said the girls' father, identified as 47-year-old Corey Simmons of Langley, was not wearing his seatbelt and died in the crash. The Associated Press reports the girls unbuckled themselves from their car seats and climbed up to 200 feet to reach the road. They were spotted by a woman driving nearby, who stopped to help and called 911. Both children were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The family launched a GoFundMe page over the weekend to help pay for funeral costs and support them while they cope with the tragedy. More than 8,000 dollars was raised by Monday afternoon. In an interview with the Seattle Times, the twins' mother remembered Simmons as a caring father with a knack for humor.