Father, daughters killed in crash

A Spokane man who took his two young daughters along while he made an early-morning newspaper delivery to Sandpoint died with them Saturday in a car crash on U.S. Highway 95 near Athol.

Mathew-Michael T. Baroni, 33, worked for years as an independent contractor picking up a load of newspapers in Spokane every morning and taking them to Sandpoint for other carriers to deliver to subscribers’ homes, said Pat Leader, Spokesman-Review director of circulation and audience development.

On Saturday, Baroni’s wife had to work and, not wanting to leave his two daughters home alone, Baroni loaded a mattress in his Dodge Caravan for the girls to rest on during the drive to Sandpoint and back, Leader said.

Baroni, known as Mike to his co-workers, was headed home after the newspaper drop and was driving south on Highway 95 just before 4 a.m. when a Chevy Silverado pickup truck traveling in the wrong lane collided head-on with his minivan.

The Silverado was driven by Ryan J. Turner, 27, of Hayden, according to the Idaho State Police.

Baroni died at the scene. Also killed were Madilyn Baroni, 8, and Molly Baroni, 6. None of the three was wearing a seat belt, the ISP said.

Turner was taken to Kootenai Health for treatment of his injuries.

The crash is under investigation.

The deaths are terrible to think about, Leader said.

“As sad as we are, we know that our sadness and loss cannot come close to the loss Mike’s wife and family must feel,” Leader said. “Our hearts and thoughts go out to them.”

The two girls attended Spokane Public Montessori. Parents were notified in a message Saturday that the school district will have extra counselors available at the school this week for as long as necessary.

Their mother, Meghan Baroni, works as a nurse for Spokane Public Schools.