MURRAY — He was Mr. Mom. She was an aspiring princess.
It's those images of a loving husband and daughter that the family of Don and Gwyndalyn Ostler would like their loved ones to be remembered for — not as the father and daughter who were struck by a motorist while crossing 1300 East.
Ostler, 29, was walking his 5-year-old daughter to afternoon kindergarten at Twin Peaks Elementary School Monday, as he did every day. Walking hand-in-hand in the crosswalk, the two were hit and killed by an 86-year-old driver crossing 1300 East near 5300 South.
Kylee Ostler, Don's sister-in-law, met with reporters Wednesday morning to update the public on how the family is doing and to share stories about Don and Gwyn.
Don Ostler, who lived in Utah all his life and grew up in Utah County, was an aspiring photographer. He worked weekend graveyard shifts at Sam's Club. That meant during the week, he was home to take care of Gwyn and his 10-year-old son, Zach. His daily routine included taking his children to school and walking them home each afternoon.
"Every day they would walk to school," Kylee Ostler said. "He held her hand all the way. That was his time with her."
Each afternoon, Don would not only escort his two children home but other children from his neighborhood would walk with them.
His wife, Jaclyn, was the love of his life, Kylee Ostler said, as were his children. Don would often play video games or chess with Zach. And Gwyn was truly his little princess. Ostler said Gwyn's favorite book was "How to be a princess" which she read every night.
"Our hearts are broken," she said. "We're just trying to take things moment by moment."
Jaclyn Ostler was originally scheduled to meet with reporters Wednesday but decided at the last minute she couldn't do it, partly because she was trying to finalize funeral arrangements.
"She's doing well for the circumstances," Kylee Ostler said.
But the past couple of days have been understandably hard. On Tuesday, Jaclyn had the difficult task of finding a dress for Gwyn to wear for her funeral. Meanwhile, the family tried to keep Zach busy with a trip to Thanksgiving Point.
"He's lost a father and sister he was very close to," Kylee said.
She also stressed Wednesday that the thoughts of the Ostler family were also with the elderly driver who caused the accident and his family. What penalties that man should face, however, is something Kylee said her family doesn't have time to dwell on.
"We're going through something harder than we've ever gone through as a family," she said.
Ostler noted, however, that "we're all dumb drivers at some point. We get lucky our distractions don't end in heartache."
As of Wednesday, police had found no evidence that speed, alcohol or drugs were a factor in the accident nor had they found really any explanation in terms of a distraction at all.
Murray police detective Kenny Bass said the case would be screened with the Salt Lake District Attorney's Office. It was unclear what charges would be looked at, but he noted it could be as minor as a failure-to-yield citation, which is an infraction.
"We don't anticipate a strong criminal charge at this point," he said.
For a stronger charge, Bass said negligence would have to be proven, which "may or may not be there."
"It's a difficult decision," he said.
Last fall, an 89-year-old man in California who plowed through a busy farmers market, killing 10 and injuring more than 70, was convicted of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and was expected to spend the rest of his life in prison. The man mistook the gas pedal for the brake.
Two funds have been set up to help Jaclyn Ostler and her son, Zach, who family members say don't make enough on their own to keep their apartment and put food on the table. A trust fund has been set up at Zions Bank under the Ostler family name. The newly established Salt Lake Valley Emergency Fund is also accepting donations. That fund was established by crime victim advocates and police officers to offer a variety of assistance to victims. In addition to money, people can donate clothing, help pay medical costs, provide food or even offer TRAX tokens. For more information about the valley fund, call 284-4201 or e-mail donate@slvemergencyfund.org
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com