Edward was among five young people who were killed when their car smashed into the side of a railroad passenger train, at a crossing in the flat farming country nine miles northwest of Coeur d’Alene, Ida. There were three couples out on a date, and the only survivor was Kay Olson, 17, who had become engaged to one of the victims just a few hours prior to the 1:15 a.m, accident. The three-car train was on the Spokane International Railroad’s midnight run to Yahk, B.C.