Just two weeks before the start of a new school year, the Waldport community was stunned at the news that one of its elementary school teachers, 31-year-old Anna Kelley, was killed in a head-on car crash on Highway 20 near Blodgett.
According to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Kelley was driving west in a 2010 Toyota Highlander when an eastbound 2020 Hyundai Ioniq, driven by 26-year-old Shylene Olsen, of Corvallis, crossed the centerline and the two vehicles collided at around 3:40 p.m. on Aug. 20.
Both drivers were pronounced deceased at the scene. Two of Kelley’s children, a 1-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy, were in the vehicle with her. They were taken to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis, where they were treated for minor injuries.
Crestview Heights School in Waldport held its back-to-school night on Wednesday, Aug. 28, and although there were lots of smiles on the faces of children and adults in attendance, there was also a somber note due to the loss of a beloved teacher who had been at that school for the past eight years. Kelley also has a sister and brother-in-law who teach at the school.