North Dakota State Senator and Family Tragically Killed in Utah Plane Crash
North Dakota State Senator Doug Larsen, along with his wife and two of their children, tragically died in a plane crash in Utah, as confirmed by officials on Monday.
Sen. Larsen was piloting the aircraft on Sunday evening in Grand County, Utah, accompanied by his wife, Amy, and their two sons. The Grand County Sheriff’s Office, in a press release, stated that they received a distress call around 8:30 p.m. regarding a plane that had taken off from the Canyonlands Regional Airport and subsequently crashed.
Emergency teams located the wreckage in a remote area adjacent to the airport, situated near the renowned Arches National Park and close to the Colorado border.
The press release mournfully confirmed the deaths of Sen. Douglas Larsen, his wife Amy, and their two youngest children in the crash.
According to Sen. Larsen's official biography on the state website, he was a married man with three children.
Expressing his sorrow over the tragic incident, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum described the loss as "heartbreaking." He paid tribute to Sen. Larsen in a statement, highlighting his multifaceted roles as a father, husband, coach, entrepreneur, businessman, state senator, and lieutenant colonel in the North Dakota National Guard. Gov. Burgum emphasized Sen. Larsen's dedication and honor in each of these roles.
Representing District 34, which encompasses the city of Mandan, Sen. Larsen, a member of the Republican Party, had been serving in the state senate since 2021.
Gov. Burgum further praised Sen. Larsen's legislative contributions, noting his staunch advocacy for individual rights and freedoms, values he also upheld during his military service. The Governor extended heartfelt condolences and prayers to the bereaved family and friends, expressing solidarity with Sen. Larsen's legislative peers, National Guard comrades, and the Mandan community during this time of grief.