A 19-year-old freshman softball player from Nampa, Idaho, Kiley Nevaeh Jones, died in a devastating head-on collision on Highway 42 in Coos County, Oregon, on April 18, 2025, alongside her coach, Jami Lea Strinz.
Kiley Nevaeh Jones is survived by her parents, Nikki Massimino Mahoney and Brian Jones, her younger sister, as well as her extended family.
After her heartbreaking passing, her mother, Nikki, changed her profile picture to one that included her. The post drew an outpouring of condolences and expressions of sorrow from many.
According to the UCC athletics website, Kiley Nevaeh Jones was a talented first baseman for the UCC RiverHawks, with a batting average of .292.
The tragic incident occurred around 9:56 p.m. near milepost 23 on Highway 42 as the UCC softball team was returning from a victorious game against Grays Harbor College in Coos Bay.
According to the Oregon State Police, a westbound Chevrolet Silverado, driven by 32-year-old Johnathan James Dowdy of Coos Bay, crossed the centerline. It collided head-on with the eastbound Chevrolet Express van carrying 10 members of the UCC softball team, including Jones and Strinz.
The team had been celebrating a sweep against Grays Harbor College just hours before the tragedy.
A Facebook post by Coach Strinz, shared shortly before the crash, captured the team’s joy, with Jones and her teammates beaming in a photo that now serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the loss.
Kiley Nevaeh Jones was pronounced dead at the scene, while Coach Jami Lea Strinz, 46, of Roseburg, was critically injured and later succumbed to her injuries at a hospital.
Eight other team members sustained moderate to serious injuries and were transported to hospitals in Eugene and Portland for treatment, though their identities have not been released.
Dowdy, the driver of the Silverado, was also seriously injured and taken to an emergency medical center.
The Oregon State Police have identified impaired driving as a primary cause of the crash, which led to a five-hour closure of Highway 42 for investigation. A criminal investigation is underway, though no further details have been released.
Our deepest sympathies go out to Jones’ parents, sister, and extended family during this heartbreaking period.
