Crash kills Neb. coaches; 5 students in hospital

[June 02, 2012]  ANSLEY, Neb. (AP) -- A Nebraska high school planned a vigil Saturday morning for a head basketball coach and an assistant coach killed when a team van returning from a camp collided with a pickup truck, also killing its driver.

The accident happened Friday along Highway 2 in rural central Nebraska near Ansley, a small town about 160 miles west of Lincoln. Eight students were taken to hospitals, and five remained hospitalized Saturday -- one in critical condition, a spokeswoman said.

The State Patrol reported 38-year-old Zane Harvey and 24-year-old Anthony Blum, coaches at Broken Bow High School, were killed. Harvey, an assistant coach, was driving the van, and Blum, the head coach, was his front-seat passenger. The truck driver, 70-year-old Albert Sherbeck, also was killed.

Marsha Wilkerson, spokeswoman at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, said one student was in critical condition, two in serious condition and one in fair condition at that facility. Another student was in fair condition at another hospital, and two others were treated and released Friday night, she said.

The Omaha World-Herald reported a ninth student who attended the basketball camp, Jaden Garey, got a ride home with his father. Brian Garey told the World-Herald he was thankful is son wasn't hurt but "you put yourself ... right in the place of those other parents."

Blum was in his first season as head coach, having previously served as an assistant at another school, the paper reported. In addition to his basketball duties, Harvey was a math teacher, head boys golf coach and assistant football coach.

"It was a horrible accident. It will impact the community for a long time to come," Broken Bow Superintendent Virginia Moon said at a news conference Friday at the hospital.

The vigil was being held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the town square. Grief counselors were to be on hand at the school.

"All students are invited to come to the school for support," the school posted on its website late Friday. "This is a very difficult time for the entire Broken Bow community and our thoughts are with the families of those involved. "

[Associated Press]

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