Lake Pend Oreille High School student fatally injured by tree during windstorm

SANDPOINT, Idaho -- A Bonner County teen was fatally injured by a tree during Wednesday's windstorm.

According to the Lake Pend Oreille School District, 17-year-old Charlie Miller was struck by a falling tree during the storm and transported to Sacred Heart where he later died.

The district says Miller was a senior at Lake Pend Oreille High School and previously attended Kootenai Elementary and Sandpoint Middle School, so the tragedy is felt districtwide.

"Charlie was an amazing kid — always super kind and super friendly and was a student that everybody's going to miss. I knew him from elementary, all the way through middle school,” said LPOSD's Director of Secondary Education Casey McLaughlin, who was Miller’s elementary and middle school principal.

The district says a team of counselors, staff, and a therapy dog were available on campus Thursday. These resources will be available Friday as well.

LPOSD says anyone who wishes to support the Miller family can reach out to Lake Pend Oreille High School for details on how to donate. The district will issue more information on how the community can help at a later time.

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