The next to last week of September has ended with at least three fatal accidents (As of Friday). According to the Iowa State Patrol, an accident in Hardin County at around 10:30-a.m. Friday, claimed one life and resulted in injuries to another person. Authorities say a 2011 Chevy Avalanche driven by 18-year-old Alexazander Purman, of Elkader, was traveling east on Highway 20, when it entered the median and continued into the westbound lanes, where the pickup collided head-on with a 2016 Ford Explorer.

Purman was flown by Aircare to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. He was not wearing a seat belt. The driver of the SUV, 61-year-old Bryan Harken, of Spencer, was wearing a seat belt but died from his injuries at the scene. The accident remains under investigation.

A collision Thursday evening in Jasper County claimed the life of a man on a bicycle. The State Patrol reports a 2017 Ford Escape driven by 19-year-old Halli Kay Versteegh, of Newton, was traveling south on S-74 near Newton at around 7:30-p.m., when it struck a bicyclist who was riding down the middle of the road. 58-year-old Mark Wayne Adkins, of Newton, died from his injuries after being flown to Mercy Hospital, in Des Moines by Mercy Air helicopter.

And, as we reported earlier, the Iowa State Patrol reports a woman was struck and killed by a school bus Thursday morning, in Guttenberg. The Patrol report says 66-year-old Judy Puls, of Guttenberg, was crossing a street when a school bus driven by 73-year-old Ronnie Moser was attempting to make a turn and struck her. Puls died at the scene. No charges have been filed as the State Patrol continues to investigate.