Ashe County Teacher Kelly Holleman Dies in Head-On Wilkes County Crash

Kelly Holleman, a media coordinator and teacher at Ashe County Middle School, tragically died in a head-on crash on NC 16 near Grindstone Lane while driving to work. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol reported that Holleman crossed the center line and collided with another vehicle; she was not wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other driver was critically injured. Ashe County Public Schools expressed profound sorrow, noting Holleman’s strong ties to the school community and deploying crisis intervention teams to support students and staff. Authorities confirmed that neither impairment nor speed were factors in the crash and no charges will be filed. The school district and community mourn the loss, highlighting Holleman’s positive impact and legacy. Separately, another young teacher, Brijette Basden from Sallie B. Howard School of Arts and Science, was fatally struck on Interstate 40, further underscoring recent tragedies affecting educators in North Carolina.