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Peter Cox

Car crash kills two Braham Area High School students

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Updated: 4:41 p.m. | Posted: 11:30 a.m.

Two Braham Area High School students died as a result of a car crash Saturday morning.

Braham Area Schools Superintendent Ken Gagner identified the victims as junior Gavin Butenhoff and senior Alexis Hasser.

"For both kids, for both families, you're just heartsick," Gagner said. "I certainly see a lot of rallying around these two families, a lot of support being offered."

The Kanabec County Sheriff's office said it responded to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of 195th Avenue and Rainbow Street, about seven miles west of Mora.

The sheriff's office said a juvenile male, a passenger in one of the vehicles, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, an adult female, was taken to North Memorial Hospital where she later died.

The occupants of the other vehicle were taken to nearby hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.

Sunday afternoon, Braham Area High School opened it's doors to students, staff and the community. The district brought in licensed counselors and clergy for the gathering.

Gagner said those services will continue as people mourn.

"Well have counselors on site certainly in the coming days and weeks," he said. "The community is in shock. This is going to play out day by day, and week by week and we're going to provide that support for as long as it's needed."

Gagner said Butenhoff had just transferred into the school this year.

"I certainly know he was making friends and starting to get involved," Gagner said. "We're a small school, so when we get a new kid, everybody notices. And I think the kids were very welcoming and starting to know Gavin and he was becoming a member of our family."

Hasser had gone to district schools since kindergarten, and had a strong bond with her classmates, he said.

"It's just a gut punch for those kids," Gagner said. "She's been an active kid, played volleyball, played basketball, student council, other things through the years."

Gagner said the high school has 220 students and the city has fewer than 1,800 residents.

"There's nothing good in this situation," he said. "But it's a great community that rallies around each other and we'll support these families during this difficult time. I think it's one of those blessings of being in a small town - people come together and I know that's going to happen."