The news of his mother and two younger brothers’ death in a car accident near Cedar Rapids Friday morning did not take long to reach Iowa State.

By that afternoon, Jacob Overman, a freshman cross country and track athlete from Lisbon, had heard his mother, Suzanne, 44, was killed in the accident along with his 4-year-old brother John and 4-month-old brother Mark.

The car Suzanne was driving collided with a Linn County LIFTS transit bus near the town of Robins. The collision also killed a passenger in the bus, Virginia Schultz, 75, of Marion.

Torin Akey, hall director for Birch-Welch-Roberts Halls, broke the news to Overman Friday afternoon and drove him to Lisbon.

Suzanne was the mother of the close-knit, religious family of eight children, said Overman’s roommate, Matt Williams, a freshman. When Williams saw Overman Friday afternoon, he asked him if he had heard the news.

“He was more worried about his dad. He has tremendous faith; I couldn’t believe it. He was trying to find a good way to look at it,” Williams said. “I don’t think I’d react that way. I was impressed.”

Tom Madson, principal at Mount Vernon High School, where Overman and brother Tim graduated from last year, said Suzanne was an excellent role model for a “wonderful, wonderful family.”

The news of the accident reached Mount Vernon students after a Friday afternoon football pep rally. Several staff members and students were soon in tears. “It went from being a ‘rah rah’ pep assembly to hearing a pin drop. It was absolutely amazing,” Madson said.

Kevin Bourke, cross country coach, said the team was in shock. Bourke told his team members that they needed to be supportive of Overman, who is being red-shirted this season. The team had been at a meet in Illinois without him and was not aware of the tragedy until Saturday.

“It was hard to go to workout today because everybody was thinking about him and his family,” Bourke said.

Overman was a state champion for Mount Vernon in the 800-meter race. During the ISU track season he will likely run the mile.

The bus driver, Ronald Hird, 56, of Marion, was treated for minor injuries at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids and later released.

Bus passenger Joan Technik, 59, of Marion, suffered two broken legs and a broken arm. She was listed in serious condition Friday night.

Lt. Rik Handler of the Linn County Sheriff’s Department said her condition has improved.

Bus passenger Debra Frost, 47, of Marion, was treated for a broken ankle at St. Luke’s and later released.

Handler, who was on the scene, said Suzanne Overman was driving north on C Avenue and failed to stop at a stop sign. Her car broadsided the westbound bus, colliding in front of the rear wheels.

According to a Linn County Sheriff’s report, the 20-passenger, six-ton bus flipped upon impact and landed on top of the car before coming to a stop on its wheels in the ditch northwest of the intersection.