Oregon Man Pleads Guilty in Fatal Bus Crash Involving Softball Team
An Oregon man has pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of second-degree manslaughter, after a fatal crash on April 18, according to court documents.
Johnathan Dowdy, 31, was driving his pickup truck on Highway 42 when he crossed the center line and collided with a bus transporting the Umpqua Community College softball team, authorities said. The crash resulted in the deaths of Jami Strinz, 46, the team's head coach, and Kiley Jones, 19, a freshman player.
Strinz, who was driving the Chevrolet Express bus, was pronounced dead at the hospital. Jones, a freshman from Nampa, Idaho, died at the scene. The bus was carrying 10 team members, eight of whom sustained moderate to serious injuries in the incident.
In addition to manslaughter, Dowdy pleaded guilty to three counts of third-degree assault, five counts of fourth-degree assault, one count of driving under the influence, and one count of driving with a suspended license. Dowdy himself sustained injuries and was hospitalized following the crash.
Dowdy's sentencing is set for Sept. 11. He was booked into Coos County Jail on April 21. The investigation into the crash is ongoing, and further details are pending.