By Mark Walker and Danielle Ferguson

A 33-year-old mother out for a morning bike ride with her two daughters Monday was struck and killed by a pickup truck that drifted onto the shoulder.

Andrea Boeve was riding along Highway 270 near Steen, Minn., about 25 miles east of Sioux Falls. Her daughters, ages 1 and 4, were being pulled in a passenger trailer.

At about 11:30 a.m., a 2003 Chevy pickup truck driven by Christopher Weber, 25, of Brandon, S.D., crossed the white line and hit Boeve, who was legally riding on the side of the road in the same direction as traffic, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

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"There's evidence that (Weber) was distracted by a cellphone, which contributed to the crash," said Lt. Matt Sorenson of the Minnesota State Patrol.

Boeve and her daughters were wearing bicycle helmets, and the younger daughter was also strapped into a safety seat, Sorenson said. The 4-year-old suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung, and the 1-year-old had only minor injuries. Both were treated at an area hospital.

Weber was not hurt but was charged with one count of criminal vehicular homicide and one count of criminal vehicular operation, Sorenson said.

He was being held at the Nobles County Jail and was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon.

The fatal accident happened about a quarter-mile from Boeve's home. It's left communities in Minnesota and South Dakota grieving the loss of a kind friend and neighbor.

In Salem, S.D., where Boeve grew up, a former classmate said an upcoming 15-year class reunion will be hard without Boeve's presence.

"She was very outgoing in school," Kim Peterson recalled.

"She was involved in everything, always helping others, and so kind-hearted," said Peterson, who attended school with Boeve from kindergarten through senior year.

When she heard the news from someone at church, she was "shocked. Purely shocked, hoping they had the wrong name," Peterson said.

"It's a really tragic ordeal and my heart goes out to those two girls who will not be able to know their mom and how great she really was," Peterson said.

Salem Mayor Robin Rayman said the town has already been through the loss of a community member from a fatal crash a few times in recent years.

"We're such a tight-knit community. Everyone knows everyone, so when we have a loss it effects our entire community," Rayman said. "I can say that we have been doing a great job as a community rallying around those families during a time of loss."

Meanwhile, in Steen, Minn., Mayor Melvin Van Batavia called the family "pillars of the community."

Boeve and her husband run a large cattle ranch west of town, next door to her in-laws and just a stone's throw from the accident site. The family just started to excavate an area to build a new home next door to their current one, Van Batavia said.

Steen has also had its share of loss recently. A 42-year-old resident was found dead in his bed three weeks ago, and a 68-year-old man died of a heart attack last week, making Andrea Boeve the third unexpected death in just a few weeks span.

"Hopefully that's the end of that," Van Batavia said. "Our little community has been hit hard."

For cyclists, the accident is a reminder of the very rare but real risk they take when sharing the road with motorists.

Chris Parsley, president of the Sioux Falls Area Bicyclists, said he doesn't want to see Weber get away with a slap on the wrist. Everyone using the road has a responsibility to be aware, courteous, and safe, and that didn't happen.

"His negligence took a mother away," Parsley said. "He should be held accountable for his actions."

How to help

A fund has been established for the daughters of Andrea Boeve. To contribute, go online to www.gofundme.com/ay2tts.