Thief River Falls 2nd grader killed trying to reach school bus

A Thief River Falls second grader was hit and killed by a van Thursday morning while crossing the highway to his school bus.

The Minnesota State Patrol says 7-year-old Anthony Fellman was crossing Highway 59 when he was hit by a Chrysler Town and Country minivan. The patrol says the driver, Joanne Schultz, 69 of Plummer, Minn., is cooperating with the investigation.

A state patrol spokesman said the bus had not come to a complete stop, and so the stop arm was not extended. Whether or not warning lights were activated is under investigation.

Thief River Falls Superintendent Bradley Bergstrom said the district has contacted students who were on the bus.

"We've had communications with the family. We've reached out to them to see what we can do to help support them, and we have had counselors in several of our buildings today working with staff and with children as they are coming to grips with the loss of this young man," Bergstrom said.

Bergstrom said Anthony went to Challenger Elementary school. "We are remembering Anthony as a young man whose personality was larger than life and had a very infectious way of interacting with people, and he is no doubt going to be sadly missed by our community," Bergstrom said.

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