A quiet Sunday drive turned into heartbreak for the tight-knit Sisters community when 53-year-old Kellie Jay Scholl was killed and her husband, 55-year-old Curtiss Joseph Scholl, was seriously injured in a crash on Highway 22 near Idanha early Sunday morning.
The Oregon State Police say the single-vehicle crash happened around 11 a.m. on Feb. 1 near milepost 68 as the couple was heading westbound. Investigators believe the blue Hyundai IONIQ driven by Curtiss Scholl tried to pass another car on the winding road, then veered off the highway and slammed into a tree for reasons that remain unclear.
When emergency crews arrived, they found significant damage to the vehicle. Kellie Scholl, riding as a passenger, was pronounced dead at the scene. Curtiss Scholl was trapped in the wreckage and had to be extricated by first responders before being rushed by ambulance to a local hospital with serious injuries. Officials have not released an update on his condition.
The crash site is on a stretch of Highway 22 that winds through steep, forested terrain between the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon, a road many locals know can be treacherous, especially when passing maneuvers are attempted.
Traffic on the highway was shut down for roughly four hours while Oregon State Police and assisting agencies — including the Detroit/Idanha Fire Department, Lyons Ambulance, Stayton Ambulance, and the Oregon Department of Transportation — worked the scene, managed traffic and collected evidence.
Community members and colleagues are mourning Kellie Scholl. Her husband, Curtiss, is well known in the area as the superintendent of the Sisters School District, a role he has held since 2015. Those who work with him describe the loss as profound and the impact on the school community as deep.
At this point, troopers have not released details about weather, speeds or whether charges will arise as part of the investigation. Oregon State Police continue to review the circumstances and will share new information if it becomes available.
