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BILLINGS - Authorities have identified the three people killed in a head-on collision in northeastern Montana involving a school bus and an SUV.

Patricia Thorgaard, 70, of Circle, was driving a school bus on Montana Highway 200 Wednesday morning, when a Ford Explorer drifted into her lane and hit her head-on. She died at the scene.

Circle resident and editor of the Circle Banner newspaper, Ryan Griggs, says Thorgaard was very well-known in the community and her death is a huge loss to their small town.

Timothy Haskey, 42, of Lacrosse, Wisconsin was the driver of the SUV. He and his passenger, Stephanie Ellingson, 27, also of Lacrosse, died on the scene.

No children were onboard the bus at the time of the collision.

Montana Highway Patrol says the accident happened just after 7 a.m. Wednesday morning on Montana Highway 200 between Circle and Brockway near mile marker 272.

Trooper Nyle Oberfell says the SUV was traveling eastbound on Highway 200 west of Circle when Haskey crossed into the westbound lane, hitting the school bus head on.

Alcohol and speed were not factors in the crash and authorities say that all three of the victims were wearing seat belts.