FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, July 23, 2013

CONTACT:  Capt. Kevin Joffer, Lt. Alan Welsh or Lt. Paul Gerken,

                    S.D. Highway Patrol 605-367-5700

               Kingsbury County Fatal Crash

What: Three vehicle fatal crash involving juveniles in a car, an adult in a car and a school bus

Where: U.S. Highway 14, 1/2 mile west of Arlington, S.D.

When: Monday, July 22, 2013, 4:58 p.m.

Driver 1: Savannah Koistinen, 17, Badger, S.D., fatal

Passenger 2: Kelsey Keller, 15, Bryant, S.D., serious non-life threatening injuries

Passenger 3: Levi Tapani, 16, Sheridan, W.Y., serious non-life threatening injuries

Vehicle 1: 2002 Oldsmobile Alero

Driver 2: Cynthia Holmquest, 25, Sioux Falls, S.D., no injuries

Vehicle 2: 2013 Mazda 3

Charges Pending: Careless Driving

Driver 3: Johnnie Brown, 52, Clark, S.D., no injuries

Bus Passengers: High School Volleyball players traveling from Elkton, S.D. to Willow Lake S.D., minor injuries

Vehicle 3: 1999 International 3000 School Bus registered to Duenwald Transportation of Clark, S.D.

Arlington, S.D. – A 17 year-old Badger, S.D. girl died in a three vehicle crash involving a school bus a half mile west of Arlington S.D. on Monday, July 22.

Savannah Koistinen, of Badger, was driving a 2002 Oldsmobile Alero eastbound on U.S. Highway 14. Traveling with Koistinen was Kelsey Keller, of Bryant, S.D. and Levi Tapani, of Sheridan, W.Y.

As Koistinen slowed to make a northbound turn into a private rural residence near Arlington, a 2013 Mazda 3 driven by Cynthia Holmquest, of Sioux Falls, S.D. failed to slow down and struck from behind Koistinen’s turning vehicle in the back end.

Koistinen’s Oldsmobile was forced into the westbound oncoming lane of traffic, where a 1999 International 3000 School Bus transporting a group of high school volleyball players made head-on contact with her vehicle. The school bus was driven by Johnnie Brown of Clark, S.D. There were minor injuries on the school bus.

Koistinen died at the scene of the crash. Her passengers, Keller and Tapani, were transported to Brookings, S.D. by emergency personnel and then flown to Sioux Falls area hospitals with serious, but non-life threatening injuries. All were wearing seatbelts.

Holmquest was wearing a seatbelt and not injured. She was cited for careless driving.

No further information is immediately available.

The South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating. Kingsbury Sherriff’s Office, Arlington Volunteer Fire Department, Sanford AirMed and McKennan Air Ambulance assisted.

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