Grand Forks DUI Crash: Fordville Man Gets 6 Years
Grand Forks County (trfnews.i234.me) — A Fordville man has been sentenced to six years in prison for a deadly drunk-driving crash near Grand Forks.
Travis Dean Bell, 45, was sentenced Monday, May 18. He pleaded guilty in January to criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular injury.
The crash happened on June 3, 2024, at Highway 2 and Airport Road. The site is about three miles west of Grand Forks.
Bell rear-ended a vehicle driven by Nicole Louthain. Her 6-year-old daughter, Katarina Louthain, was also inside.
Nicole Louthain suffered serious injuries. Court statements said those injuries include lasting memory loss.
Katarina suffered injuries that later took her life.
Family Describes Lasting Loss
During sentencing, several victim impact statements were read in court. The courtroom included supporters for Bell and the Louthain family.
Robert Louthain spoke about his daughter’s joy, confidence and fearless spirit. He said her life inspired many people after her death.
He said people donated toys to hospitals. Others raised money for her school library. Some also pushed for safety changes at the crash site.
Nicole Louthain asked the court for a 10-year prison sentence. She said true remorse means honesty and accountability.
Travis Dean Bell
Judge Cites Alcohol Level
Judge Theodore Sandberg said Bell’s blood alcohol level was tested after 8 p.m.
The results ranged from .13 to .128. The test happened about two hours after the crash.
Sandberg said Bell was likely near .16 at the time of the crash. That is about twice the legal limit.
The judge also questioned Bell’s account of how much he drank that day.
Bell told the court he was sorry for the loss he caused. He said he prayed for the Louthain family.
Bell also said he wished he could take back what happened. He said he hoped peace could come one day.
Sentence Includes Probation
Bell received a 20-year sentence. However, 14 years were suspended.
That leaves six years to serve. He received credit for the three days already served.
After prison, Bell will serve three years of supervised probation. He is banned from alcohol during that time.
If Bell violates probation, he could face more prison time. That could include the suspended 14 years.
More information about North Dakota courts is available through the North Dakota Court System. Drunk-driving safety resources are available through the North Dakota Department of Transportation.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
Should have been 60 years this man lied all the way to the end !!!! took this child’s life this coward shouldn’t have been even giving a plea deal on this at all my thoughts and prayers are with the family Justice For Katarina
Should have been 60 years Justice For Katarina
That’s all…6 yrs! Pathetic
Should’ve been life
shameful. Two murders. Are their lives of so little value?
Life
Hang in there cuz
6 years?!??!!
But they have to go their lives without their child and he gets 6 years!!!!
Should have been life.
I pray he finds sobriety and everyone involved can heal.. its such a sad thing..
Holy fuck 6 years? You fuckers let sex offenders and drunks that kill people off w six years but put non violent addicts in prison for possession w stric min-mans wtf
I can only think he wishes every day he could go back and relive that day making different choices along with many others, but………he can’t. It’s tragic all the way around but he is alive and will be free again one day. Katarina and Nicole didn’t have a choice. My heart breaks for Robert and Nicole but I sure stand behind her in all she’s doing to change laws. She’s doing great so far even with her injuries. RIP Katarina and Nicole, you go girl!
Should’ve been alot longer–like life!!!
Only 6 years seriously
Wtf 6 years, really ??? She ONLY got SIX short years to live….
Bruh…
It’s not just a 6 year sentence this man has to deal with. He also will have to live with the fact that he caused that young girls death. Hopefully this is a transformative tragedy and the life he leads from now on will reflect that.
So is that the new thing you get as many years as the age of the person you killed? Make that make sense 🤦
What’s with the judge. hope for prison justice. What wrong with the judge someone paid him off
That’s all
Ridiculous, he deserves LIFE!!! POS!
I bet he spent his life savings on a gooood lawyer
He killed a child
THE RICH FARMER WHO’S FAMILY HAS MONEY HUH CRAZY HOW SHIT WORKS YOU PIECE OF SHIT CHILD KILLER. I HOPE YOU GET PRISON JUSTICE. ROT IN HELL AND I PRAY FOR THEM POOR PARENTS. 6 YEARS FOR KILLING A 6 YEAR OLD AND ALMOST KILLING THE MOTHER TO. WOW GOOD JOB JUDGE POS … DO BETTER … WE NEED TO DO BETTER Justice For Katarina
Rough…bet he learned his lesson…smfh… pathetic
6yrs , what a joke . This piece of shit should be in a dark hole for the rest of his life !! Hopefully he get what he deserves in prison
Hopefully this guy knows how to hide from her dad when he gets out in 6 years. 14 years of supervised probation is gonna be hard to not fuck up for someone who believes they’re above the law. He has that remaining suspended time hanging over his head for 20 years. All it takes is one phone call after someone spots him in a bar.
For all you people saying he has to live the rest of his life knowing what he did. Sorry to tell you but it sounds like he doesn’t care. So I hope the family makes him pay heavily in the civil courts. Then he will have no choice but to remember what he did.
I pray he meets his maker in prison.
6 years is wild.
courts r dumb these days he should of got life in prison 😡
I bet if we dig we would find out the murderer is affiliated with secret societies, because those are the people that get away with murder.
Whatever happened to the time should fit the crime?
The almighty buck has more pull than Justice! Our Justice system has failed miserably for years and it’s time for that to change!!