Collision south of Langdon claims life of 21-year-old

Strathmore RCMP responded to a motor vehicle collision at approximately 11 p.m. April 19 south of Langdon on Highway 797. According to Alberta RCMP Sergeant spokesman Jack Poitras, the incident occurred when a truck traveling northbound crossed the centre line.

“Alcohol may be a factor, but it's still under investigation,” he said. “The driver of the truck was injured, but the other one was deceased at the scene. It was the innocent driver (who was killed).”

The deceased, 21-year-old Katherine Ditto, was remembered as having a “kind, fearless soul, caring heart and sense of humour (that) will forever be missed by all,” according to a gofundme page set up to help support the family with funeral costs and expenses.

“She was so well-loved by everyone,” said Ditto's mother, Kristie Adams.

“She was beautiful, she was a hard worker, she was brilliant, she was kind, she was compassionate.”

Ditto was studying to become a surgical nurse and had dreams to travel, according to her father, Brian Ditto.

Brian said he couldn't have asked for a better daughter, one who would watch sports and bad horror movies with him, and was a die-hard Philadelphia Flyers and Denver Broncos fan.

“(People would ask us), how do you get a kid like that? We'd say, ‘I don't know. We're just lucky,'” he said.

Ditto's sister Kevie said everyone at school wanted to be friends with Ditto, who had the most infectious laugh and had this way to “touch people's lives.”

“I remember when my parents got divorced, I was having a bad day and Katie took me on a train,” she said. “She took me to a mall and got us pedicures. Now she's gone.”

“She was so good. Now, she is never going to get to get married, or have children of her own. She's not going to finish her dream of being a surgical nurse or travel,” Adams said.

An evening candle light vigil was scheduled for April 22 at the accident scene on Highway 797. As of April 22, the gofundme page had raised $12,350 for the family.

The drivers of the two vehicles were the lone occupants. The driver of the truck was transported to a Calgary area hospital with serious injuries.

“Blood results could be a week or two before we know the status (of the driver of the truck),” Poitras said. “We have to look at preserving lives first while we do an investigation and lab results become secondary. We need to make sure we look after him first as we're gathering evidence.”

Though toxicology results are still pending, Adams said driving drunk was something Ditto would never do. According to Adams, even if Ditto was drinking a block away from her location, she would always call for a ride.

“Don't do it,” she said. “If you have the money to go out and spend on booze, you can call a f****** cab when you're done. It's the most selfish thing you can do.”