On Friday, August 18, at approximately 11:30 am, a collision on northbound Interstate 65 in Jackson County, Indiana, resulted in the death of 24-year-old Ashlea Albertson.
Associated with Tony Stewart Racing, Albertson was in the GMC Terrain driven by 31-year-old Jacob Kelly, her fiancé, when the accident occurred. Both vehicles, including a Chevrolet Malibu driven by 22-year-old Austin Cooper, were reported by Indiana State Police to have engaged in risky driving behaviors leading to the crash. The drivers were accelerating rapidly and refusing to let one another pass. Kelly lost control of his vehicle when it began to spin, and the two cars crashed in the middle of the northbound lanes.
The impact led to Albertson’s ejection from the Terrain. Sadly, she passed away after being taken to the hospital.
Other individuals, including Cooper, Kelly, and a minor in the Malibu, suffered injuries that weren’t life-threatening.
Tony Stewart, founder of Tony Stewart Racing, mourned the loss on social media.
Initial inquiries point to a potential road rage incident, though not yet confirmed by officials.
Investigations and toxicology results are ongoing.
Albertson and Kelly were to be married in March of 2024.
