High school student dies and another hurt in crash with school bus, Kansas officials say

One high school student was killed and another was injured after their car collided with a school bus, according to Kansas officials.

The two teens were in a Chevrolet Malibu, driving west on K-254, when they collided with a northbound bus crossing the same highway, Butler County Sheriff Monty Hughey said in a news release.

Deputies and other first responders were called to the crash at about 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8.

Responding deputies found the Malibu with “heavy front end damage” from the crash, authorities said. It is believed the school bus driver “failed to yield the right of way” before the fatal collision, the sheriff said.

The driver of the Malibu was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. The passenger suffered life-threatening injuries and later died at the hospital, according to the sheriff’s office.

Circle Public Schools Superintendent Don Potter identified the passenger as Halie Friesen, a junior at Circle High School. He did not provide the name or grade level of the student who was injured.

“We are deeply saddened over this loss and our thoughts and condolences go out to the family members and friends of both students,” he said in a letter to families.

There were 14 children on the school bus at the time of the crash, the sheriff’s office said, and none reported any injuries.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Circle High School, in Towanda, is about 25 miles northeast of Wichita.

Editor’s note: An earlier version incorrectly spelled Halie Friesen’s name.

This story was originally published September 11, 2023 at 10:54 AM with the headline "High school student dies and another hurt in crash with school bus, Kansas officials say."