Iowa's Ottumwa Police Department identified the victim as 18-year-old Ashlin Knuth
Credit: Ashlin Knuth/Facebook
NEED TO KNOW
- An Iowa teen was involved in a fatal car crash just hours after her high school graduation
- The Ottumwa Police Department identified the victim as 18-year-old Ashlin Knuth
- Her passenger and the other driver involved survived the collision
An Iowa high school senior has died just hours after receiving her diploma.
The former student was identified as 18-year-old Ashlin Knuth of Ottumwa, the Ottumwa Police Department said in a statement on Monday, May 18.
Authorities said the incident happened at approximately 9:19 p.m. local time on Sunday, May 17, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 34 and Roemer Avenue. When responding officers arrived at the scene, they observed a two-vehicle collision.
Credit: Ashlin Knuth/Facebook
An 18-year-old male passenger was traveling with Knuth at the time of the crash. Both were extricated by the Ottumwa Fire Department and ORMICS personnel and transported to the Ottumwa Regional Health Center.
PEOPLE reached out to the Ottumwa Police Department for comment.
The passenger’s identity and current medical status were not disclosed.
Police identified the other driver as 21-year-old Nathaniel Hart, who was uninjured in the accident after his 2005 Dodge Dakota collided with Knuth’s 2005 Mini Cooper.
“She was a part of the Ottumwa High School class of 2026 and had walked at the graduation ceremony earlier in the day,” according to Knuth’s obituary.
PEOPLE reached out to Ottumwa High School for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
The school shared a statement confirming the fatality on its website.
“It is with deep sadness that we share the tragic loss of Ashlin Knuth, a recent graduate of the Ottumwa High School Class of 2026,” the statement said. “Our Bulldog family is hurting alongside Ashlin’s classmates, friends, teachers, coaches, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
The district will provide support to those affected by Knuth’s sudden death, the school said.
Former students who recently graduated are also allowed to request counseling services from the school district to be part of “a safe place for conversation, comfort, and connection.”
She planned to continue her education at Indian Hills Community College in the fall, where Knuth had already begun taking courses while in high school. After that, she planned to transfer to the University of Northern Iowa to pursue a degree in teaching.
Knuth is survived by her parents, Jamie and Serena Knuth of Ottumwa; two brothers, Joseph and Elih; grandparents, James Allen Knuth, Toni (Todd) Braaksma, Debbie Knuth and Kendina McAntire; and a host of other family members.
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Her funeral will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 23, at Reece Funeral Home.
“We encourage families to check in with their students and loved ones, listen with care, and seek support if needed. In moments like these, leaning on one another and staying connected matters deeply. We ask our community to keep the family and all those affected in their thoughts during the difficult days ahead,” her school said.
“Our thoughts are with Ashlin’s family and with all those impacted by this loss,” the statement concluded.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation, police said in their statement.
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