A University of Idaho student died in a three-vehicle crash on U.S. Route 195 north of Steptoe at about 3 a.m. Thursday, and three other people sustained injuries.

Mamta Kandel, a sociology and psychology major, died at the scene due to injuries sustained in the accident. She was wearing her seatbelt.

The Washington State Patrol reported 24-year-old Bikash Sigdel of Moscow was driving a sedan in the northbound lane when he lost control and struck a southbound-traveling semi-truck, which led to the semi striking a pickup truck in the northbound shoulder. The crash shut down the highway for eight hours.

Kandel was born and raised in the Anandaban Leprosy Mission in Nepal, according to her blog. Kandel was an executive member of the Nepali Student Association at the University of Idaho.

Kandel was also a photographer for The Argonaut, the University of Idaho’s student newspaper. Claire Whitley, editor-in-chief of the Argonaut, said hired Kandel last fall.

“She kind of immediately struck me as a kind and caring person,” Whitley said. “She’d always stop and ask me how my day was or how my classes were going every time she saw me.”

Whitely said she could tell Kandel genuinely wanted to hear the answer and wasn’t just being polite.

“She was one of those unique people that you just wanted to surround yourself with,” Whitley said, “but there’s only one of her to go around.”

Whitley said Kandel loved to take photos, not just for her job at The Argonaut but also with her friends, all the time and every season.

“I’d see them out building snowmen and taking photos,” she said.

Kandel liked to take pictures of not only the performers, but the crowd and how they were reacting to their environment, Whitley said. It’s a great skill in photojournalism to be able to be constantly aware of what people are doing around you and not just what they’re doing in front of you, she said.

Whitley said that while Kandel may have worked for The Argonaut for just three semesters, she was part of the family.

“She will be sorely missed on campus by all of her friends and anyone who ever had an interaction with her,” Whitley said.

Kandel regularly posted on her blog, which she began in May 2016. Some of the blog posts are of photos and some are her thoughts on various subjects. Her last blog post, dated Nov. 19, was about whether or not competition in Nepali schools was good for society.

Kandel wrote on the home page of her blog that she started it because she “believes every person has a story and every soul can be an inspiration.”

“In society we judge people’s value and worth according to their culture, appearance, education level or economic status,” Kandel said. “But really if we dig in their life everybody has an incredible journey. And we can learn from each other’s skills, imagination, creativity and beliefs.”

Two other passengers in the sedan, 29-year-old Basu Kafle and 21-year-old Sumit Shahi, were treated at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane for their injuries.

No one else involved in the accident was injured. Troopers are still investigating the crash and charges are pending.