Driver Charged After Fatal Umpqua Softball Bus Crash

Johnathan James Dowdy, 32, was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including two counts of manslaughter, DUII, assault, and reckless endangerment, after he allegedly drove his Chevy Silverado across the centerline on Highway 42 in Coos County, Oregon, crashing head-on into a Umpqua Community College softball team bus on Friday night. The collision killed head coach Jami Lea Strinz, 46, and freshman player Kiley Nevaeh Jones, 19, and injured eight other team members, some seriously. Dowdy suffered serious injuries in the crash and was arrested upon his release from the hospital. Investigators identified impairment as the primary cause, and Dowdy’s record includes a pending DUII charge from January and previous citations for driving with a suspended license and without insurance. The crash has led to community mourning and renewed calls for road safety and greater accountability for repeat offenders. The investigation into the incident remains active.