Roseville High grad among dead in Afghan copter crash

Flags at the state capitol will be flown at half-staff in honor of a Roseville High School graduate and Army Ranger who died in Afghanistan last weekend.Pfc. Kristofer D.S. Thomas, 18, died Sunday in southeastern Afghanistan when the CH-47 Chinook helicopter in which he was traveling crashed, the Department of Defense said Tuesday. Seven other soldiers were killed in the incident. A cause has not been determined, and the crash remains under investigation, according to a DOD press release. Thomas graduated early from Roseville High School last year in order to join the Army, said Principal Brad Basham. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in Fort Benning, Georgia - an Army Ranger at just 18.Basham said Thomas transferred to Roseville High as a junior from Lincoln High, where he was active in junior ROTC. At Roseville, he overcame early academic struggles to become a model student whose drive to join the military was well known, he said. He completed a senior project on military careers, Basham said, and returned after finishing Army jump school to share his experiences with students."It was a focus of his ever since he's been in high school," Basham said. "He had a great sense of humor, and as a student made a great personal and academic turnaround his junior and senior year. He went from a tough kid from to an absolute role model."Basham said the school was making counselors available to students who wanted to talk about the loss."We knew Kristofer was very much focused doing what he wanted to do and we're proud of him."On Wednesday, the governor's office said flags at the state capitol will be flown at half-staff in memory of Thomas. Additionally, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger offered his condolences in a prepared a statement."It is with tremendous sadness that Maria and I offer our condolences to Private First Class Thomas' family and friends," Schwarzenegger said. "Kristofer was a true hero, and his sacrifice helped safeguard the freedoms of our nation. Our prayers are with his loved ones during their time of mourning."The incident Sunday represented the largest number of coalition deaths in Afghanistan this year.