ANSLEY, Neb. (AP) — Hundreds of people have gathered in Custer County to remember two high school basketball coaches killed when a team van collided with a pickup.

Broken Bow Public Schools organized Saturday morning’s vigil in Ansley for 38-year-old Zane Harvey and 24-year-old Anthony Blum. The Omaha World-Herald reported that Pastor Larry DeMoss, of Broken Bow Berean Church, told the crowd “our collective heart was broken” by the crash.

The crash happened Friday along Highway 2 near Ansley, as the coaches and eight students were returning from camp. The state patrol says Harvey and Blum were killed, along with the driver of the pickup.

All eight students were taken to hospitals after the crash. The school district says four students remain hospitalized Saturday.

A warm front will lift north through North Central Nebraska today with highs in the upper 80s south of the front. Meanwhile an upper level disturbance moving through this afternoon may be sufficient for isolated strong or severe thunderstorms capable of large hail and wind damage. Cooler calmer weather is expected north of the front with highs in the lower 80s. On Sunday a cold front will become stationary across Southwestern Nebraska northeast to near Sioux Falls South Dakota. The front and increasing moisture may produce isolated severe thunderstorms late in the afternoon or evening.

 

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. South southwest wind between 6 and 11 mph.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. South southeast wind between 9 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. North northwest wind between 9 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

(Ansley, Neb.)- A two vehicle crash on Highway 2 in Custer County has claimed the life of three Custer County men and sent eight Broken Bow High School students to area hospitals.

A hospital spokeswoman says one high school student remains in critical condition following a crash of a basketball team van that killed two coaches and the driver of a pickup truck that collided with it.

Marsha Wilkerson says two other students are in serious condition, one is in fair condition and one was treated and released from Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. Another student was in fair condition at another hospital, and two others were treated and released last night.

The crash occurred just before 4:00 p.m., Friday, June 1, one mile west of Ansley on Highway 2 in Custer County. Troopers say the preliminary investigation indicates a pickup truck driven by Albert Sherbeck, 70, Ansley was traveling east on Highway 2 when it crossed the center line and struck a westbound 2009 Ford Econoline van driven by Zane Harvey, 38, Broken Bow. Sherbeck and Harvey along with Anthony Blum, 24, Broken Bow were killed in crash. Blum was a front seat passenger in the van.

The van registered to the Broken Bow Public Schools was returning from a basketball clinic in Kearney when the crash occurred. Eight Broken Bow students, all male members of the High School Basketball team, were transported to area hospitals.

Harvey and Blum were both coaches at Broken Bow High School.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The Nebraska State Patrol was assisted at the scene of the crash by the Custer County Sheriff’s Office, as well as rescue personnel from Ansley, Broken Bow, Mason City and Merna.

The Connection Homeless Shelter celebrated a big event yesterday. It was a day to remember the amazing career of Ron Snell. June is the last month that Ron Snell will be the Director of the Connection. His many years of service have taken the Connection to an amazing level of care and awareness. Ron is leaving a legacy behind that will never be forgotten. If you want to catch a very quick glimpse of some of the things Ron has done to promote the Connection, stop in and look at the new plaque that shows some of Ron’s accomplishments. The pictures are amazing, the stories will make you laugh and cry, but the impact will never subside. At a Board of Director’s lunch yesterday I said “Ron’s next job will be leading safaris in Siberia!” the point of my comment is that no matter what Ron decides to do he will be successful and improve many lives.

(Sarpy County, Neb. – NSP release)- A Tuesday afternoon pursuit with a motorcycle lands an Ashland man in the Cass County Jail.

Just before 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 29, a trooper attempted to stop a northbound 1998 Suzuki motorcycle for speeding, two miles south of Alvo on Highway 63 in Cass County. The motorcycle failed to stop and a pursuit ensued.

The motorcycle continued northbound on Highway 63 before turning right and heading eastbound onto Highway 6. At the junction of Highways 6 & 31, the motorcycle jumped the median curb brushing an NSP Patrol car and laying the motorcycle on its side.

The driver of the motorcycle, Tyson R. Green, 33, Ashland, was transported by Gretna Fire & Rescue to Midlands Hospital, where he was treated and released. He was then lodged in the Cass County Jail on charges to include, flight to avoid arrest, speeding, willful reckless driving and possession of a stolen vehicle. Green also has an outstanding warrant out of Cass County.

The pursuit reached speeds of 75- 100 mph and lasted approximately 11 minutes