Axtell teen killed in 3-vehicle crash in Kearney

KEARNEY, Neb. (KSNB) - A teenage girl from Axtell is dead after Thursday night’s car-bus crash in south Kearney.

The Kearney Police Department said Britney Royle, 17, died at the scene of the crash.

The collision happened about 8 p.m. Thursday near the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Platte Road. Police said Royle was a passenger in a southbound vehicle driven by Jacob Harms, 19, of Hildreth. Harms’ vehicle collided with a northbound Cozad school bus driven by Torrey Kloppenborg, 68, Cozad. The bus was making a left turn on to Platte Road at the time.

Harms was taken to CHI-Good Samaritan hospital in Kearney and later transferred to Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha with what police termed as non-life threatening injuries.

Police said the Cozad softball team including 12 players and two coaches were on the bus at the time of the crash. Three students and two coaches were taken to Kearney Regional Medical Center and were later treated and released.

Kearney police Lieutenant Derek Luke said no citations had been issued in the crash as of Friday afternoon. He said the investigation into the crash would continue for some time. He said investigators hadn’t determined whether drugs or alcohol were involved.