According to court documents released Wednesday, an Oregon man has entered a guilty plea to two charges of second-degree manslaughter in connection with a tragic collision with a bus transporting a community college softball team, which resulted in the deaths of a player and the team’s head coach.
In addition, Dowdy entered a guilty plea to three charges 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, according to the petition to enter a guilty plea submitted to the Coos County Circuit Court.
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Requests for comment were not immediately answered by Jennifer Leigh Leseberg, the lawyer identified for Dowdy in court documents.
According to state police, on April 18, Dowdy was operating his pickup truck when he over a center line and collided with a bus that was transporting ten Umpqua Community College softball players.
The 46-year-old head softball coach, Jami Strinz, was operating the Chevrolet Express bus, according to the school’s website. She was later pronounced dead at a hospital, according to the police.
At the scene, 19-year-old Kiley Jones was declared deceased. The athletic department’s website states that the Nampa, Idaho, freshman played first base.
The school said in a statement that the team was on its way from a game in Coos Bay.
According to authorities, the remaining eight passengers on the bus suffered moderate to severe injuries.
According to state police, Dowdy was also hurt and sent to a hospital. How long he was in the hospital and the nature of his injuries were not immediately apparent.
On September 11, Dowdy will be sentenced.
