Police arrest driver accused of killing college softball player from Idaho

NAMPA (Idaho Statesman) — Police have arrested the driver accused of killing a college softball player from Nampa and her coach in a Friday collision in Oregon.

Jonathan Dowdy, 32, of Coos Bay, Oregon, was driving west in a Chevrolet truck on Highway 42 in Coos County when he crossed the centerline into the eastbound lane of traffic just before 10 p.m., according to an Oregon State Police news release.

Police said the Dowdy was impaired and struck a Chevrolet Express bus head-on near milepost 23.

The bus was driven by 46-year-old Umpqua Community College softball coach Jami Strinz, of Roseburg, Oregon, and carried nine other members of the team, according to the release.

The crash killed Kiley Jones, 19, of Nampa, according to police. She died at the scene. Law enforcement said Strinz was transported to a hospital before dying with critical injuries.

The other eight people on the bus “suffered moderate to serious injuries and were provided emergency medical services,” police said.

Police booked Dowdy, who was also hospitalized following the crash, into Coos County Jail on Monday evening for a number of charges, including two counts of manslaughter, three felony counts of second-degree assault, five felony counts of third-degree assault and one felony count of aggravated driving with a suspended or revoked license. He was also charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, criminal mischief and 14 counts of reckless endangerment.

Kiley Jones at ‘just the beginning’ of her life

Jones graduated from Columbia High School in Nampa in 2024 before heading to Umpqua Community College last fall as a freshman, where she played first base on the softball team, according to a college player spotlight.

“If you were blessed enough to meet Kiley, then you know what an amazing human being she was,” Stephanie Dawson wrote in a GoFundMe she created for her family. “Her soul was like no other. Her sense of humor was contagious, and she had a heart of gold. It was just the beginning of her adult life, going to college in Oregon and trying to continue into the next phase of life. “

A GoFundMe was also created to raise money for Strinz’s family.

“Just hours before, she was doing what she loved most — coaching her Umpqua Community College softball team, mentoring and inspiring the young women she was so passionate about,” Patty Elliott wrote on the fundraiser page. “Jami’s love for sports was only matched by her unwavering commitment to student-athletes. She dedicated her life to helping others succeed — on and off the field — and her influence has touched countless lives.”

Umpqua Community College President Rachel Pokrandt said in a statement that the “entire community is grieving” the loss of “an exceptional student-athlete, and a passionate and talented coach.”