Married Couple Killed at Liberty Road Train Crossing

After recently relocating to Valley County from Thailand, husband and wife Dillon Lee and Baika (Puengudom) Cassel were killed when their pickup truck was T-boned Dec. 6 by a BNSF train about eight miles west of Glasgow.

Dillon, 31, was born in Glasgow and moved to Thailand after graduating form Glasgow High School to pursue his passion for martial arts. While living in Thailand, Dillon met Baika, 27 of Bangkok, and the two were married in June 2018. They operated businesses in Thailand, but decided to relocated to Valley County due to concerns about COVID-19. They arrived in late October.

The two were on their way to work out in an area gym when they collided with the front end of the freight train at an unmarked crossing on Liberty Road, just to the west of Highway 246, also referred to as Tampico Road.

The two were traveling in a 2003 Toyota pickup truck driven by Dillon eastbound on Liberty Road when the vehicle entered the train crossing and was smashed by the train.

"It is an un-gated, unlighted crossing," Valley County Sheriff and Coroner Tom Boyer told The Courier Friday, adding the incident happened at 12:09 p.m.

"I don't think speed was a factor," Boyer added. "The conductor and engineer told me when they first saw the truck there was plenty of room for them to make it across. That changed as they kept approaching."

Upon impact, the train "pretty much launched [the truck] right there," Boyer said. "I am speculating here, but based on what I saw at the accident scene - which Montana Highway Patrol is investigating - it did look like that the train launched it maybe 20-some-feet in the air before it came to rest and started rolling. The truck was pretty much t-boned, and was bent in a 'V.'"

Highway Patrol has not responded to a request from The Courier about the investigation.

The train was estimated to have been traveling at about 6 MPH when it impacted the pickup, according to the BNSF engineer.

Both Dillon and Baika were killed on impact.

"It was a tragedy all the way around," Boyer said.

Dangerous Crossing

"The night before, it had snowed, so that day there was snow and the roads weren't great," Boyer said. "I think that speaks to that crossing being a dangerous crossing because it does sit higher than the Tampico Highway. When you approach that, you are going up a bit of a grade and then you are roughly six feet above the highway [beyond]. Once you cross that crossing you are going down a slope that is maybe 30-feet and you are at the highway to stop."

In icy conditions, Dillon may have slowed his vehicle before cross the tracks to ensure he would be able to stop at the Tampico intersection.

"Was the guy trying to not go too fast to slide through the intersection at the highway and end up in the ditch, or was he distracted and just didn't see the train? That is why it is so hard to speculate what happened."

Visibility at that location is poor, Boyer said.

"I think one of the things that are bad up there is a row of trees along Liberty Road, and it can be very difficult to see if a train is coming. Again, if you are distracted, you are talking to your wife, who knows, we could speculate all day long. Maybe you just don't see the train or hear the horn. According to the engineer, he was coming through the intersection so he was honking the horn and they were preparing to slow down to get to the next speed zone they were coming to when this event happened."

Next of Kin Notified

Boyer, as County Coroner was tasked with notifying next of kin of the deaths. He was able to reach Dillon's parents, but was met with a challenge notifying Baika's parents. Baika remained a Thai citizen at the time of her death.

Working with Senator Steve Daines' Office, Boyer reached out to the Thai Consulate located in Los Angeles. He was able to speak with Baika's mother, Som Amorn, who was visiting the United States.

"In a tragedy, it is kind of nice to be able to speak with her," Boyer said. "She wanted them to be together here [in Montana] as far as burial. I have a lot of appreciation for the Office of Senator Steve Daines in assisting me in making contact with the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles. That is a positive thing."

Memorial services were on Monday afternoon at Bell Mortuary with Pastor Tom Fauth officiating.

Lives Cut Short

Dillon was born on June 23, 1989, according to his obituary. He grew up on the family ranch near Saco. He attended elementary school in Saco, before moving with his family to Glasgow in 2006. Dillon attended GHS, and was crowned Homecoming King his senior year.  After high school, he attended Montana State University in Bozeman for one year. He then transferred to MSU-Northern in Havre where he received degrees in plumbing, electrical and sustainable energy.  While in Havre, Dillon discovered a passion for health and fitness. 

After College, Dillon returned to Glasgow and went to work for Dale's Plumbing. In 2013, Dillon moved to Thailand to practice mixed martial arts and the sport of Mauy Tai.

After traveling back and forth between the United States and Thailand for a couple years, Dillon became co-owner of the "New Moves" gym, which remains in operation. 

While in Bangkok, Dillon met Baika Puengudom and later married her in Thailand. Dillon said he "had to go halfway around the world to find his soul mate." They had a shared passion of fitness and nutrition.

Baika was born May 4, 1994, in Bangkok, to Sayarm Puengudom and Som Amorn, according to her obituary. She was the third sibling in the family having two older brothers. The family grew up in ChiangRai, the most northern province of Thailand.

She began her education as a homeschooler taught by her mother Som, then went to Montessori school in ChaingRai where she discovered a love for cooking and baking.

After high school, Baika attended Mahidol University in the NaKonPatom province for one year in Graphic Design and moved on to study in Le Cordon Bleu, the French Culinary and Hospitality Institute, where she received Diplomas of Pastries and Confectionery.

Baika also was certified in Nutrition Therapy from Oxford College in a distance study program.

Baika also enjoyed babysitting children, and in 2012 opened a cooking school for children called "Cook Cool Kids Cooking School" in the largest shopping mall of the Bangkok City Center, Siam Paragon.

In 2015, Baika opened another cooking school, "Fit Bakery: Healthy Baking School," which emphasized the combination of traditional and modern styles of cooking and baking.  

In 2016, Baika met Dillon at a martial arts gym in Bangkok. After being wed in 2018, they lived in Bangkok for three years before relocating to Montana.