One Alliance teen was killed and another hospitalized in a one-vehicle rollover accident Thurday night on Highway 87 a mile south of the Box Butte-Sheridan County line.

The Nebraska State Patrol says 16-year old Deion Hitchcock was southbound around 8:30 when he lost control of his older model SUV and overcorrected. The SUV went into the east ditch and hit a power pole.

Hitchcock, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected and killed. A passenger, 18-year old Crystal Pannell of Alliance, was taken to Box Butte General Hospital with undisclosed injuries and was described as being in stable condition about 10:30 this morning. The investigation into the cause of the accident is continuing.

Hitchcock and Pannell are students at Alliance High School, which is currently on spring break. Principal Dr Pat Jones says the members of the Building Crisis Team will meet Sunday night to prepare for the resumption of classes on Monday.

Jones says the Crisis Team will make sure everyone is on the same page with the facts of the accident and not rumors, and that all needed resources will be on hand when the students arrive the next morning.

Having counselors at Alliance High and possibly other schools will be a key part of that, but Jones hopes parents will talk with their children over the weekend about what’s happened so that they’ll ready for Monday morning.