Collision claims one life, seriously injures teenager

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A two-vehicle accident Sept. 23 near Utica left a Seward man dead and a Centennial High student seriously injured.

At approximately 6:22 a.m., the York County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to a head-on collision involving two pickup trucks on Highway 34 near mile marker 286 just west of Utica.

The sheriff’s preliminary investigation shows that a GMC K2500 driven by Saige Scheele, 15, and a Chevrolet Avalanche driven by Scott Sorensen, 42, of Seward collided head on in the westbound traffic lane. Both vehicles were occupied solely by the drivers. Sorensen was pronounced dead on scene. Details from the crash are still under investigation.

The York County Sheriff's office was assisted by the Seward County Sheriff's office and the Nebraska State Patrol. York Fire and Rescue, Waco Fire and Rescue and Utica Fire and Rescue also responded to the crash.

Scheele was transported to a Lincoln hospital with life-threatening injuries and then was flown to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

According to a Sept. 24 journal entry on the Caring Bridge site created by Scheele’s parents, volunteer firefighters Jay and Danielle Scheele, at 6:22 a.m. the pager at their own home went off with details of the crash. Jay ran out  the door to the accident and helped get Saige out of her pickup. Responders used the jaws of life to remove her.

Saige was wearing her seatbelt.

Her injuries include major head trauma to the brain, a broken left ankle, lesion on her liver, bruised lungs, a few staples on the left side of her head and some stitches on a lesion on her left upper leg.

The Centennial softball team, of which Saige is a member, competed in the Southern Nebraska Conference tournament Sept. 24. A sign in the CHS dugout read “Leave it all on the field for 14,” which is Saige’s uniform number.

Coach Tori Homolka said the first game Saturday was tough.

“There were a lot of emotions,” she said. “But the team has been there for each other.”

Colin Bargen, Centennial high school principal, said the accident occurred on a teacher in-service day, but the district made additional counselors available on Sept. 23 and Sept. 26.

“We did receive offers from neighboring districts offering counseling support to ensure the need was met,” Bargen said. “It is nice to see the goodness of people in difficult situations such as this.”

A GoFundMe page has been created to help with medical bills for Saige’s recovery.