Source: Photo Courtesy of Indiana State Police / ISP
SEYMOUR, Ind. — Indiana State Police are investigating after a Greenfield woman, who competed with Tony Stewart Racing, died in a crash on I-65 late Friday morning.
At this time, officers think 22-year-old Austin Cooper and 31-year-old Jacob Kelly were both driving northbound near Seymour. They say the two were speeding alongside each other, and neither driver would allow the other to pass.
Source: Photo Courtesy of Indiana State Police / ISP
Eventually, Cooper apparently tried to change lanes, and the two crashed after Kelly lost control of his car. As Kelly’s car rolled, 24-year-old passenger Ashlea Albertson was thrown from the car.
She was taken to the University of Louisville Hospital, but she did not survive. Kelly, Cooper, and Cooper’s passenger all received non-life-threatening injuries.
Following reports of her death, racing celebrity and team owner Tony Stewart Tweeted, “Today, I lost a teammate… She was a great race car driver that was involved in a road rage accident and lost her life.”
He described Albertson as having an “infectious personality,” and he said, “I hope that we can honor Ashlea by controlling what we can control on the highway.”
Stewart concluded his post by writing, “Please join me in keeping her family and friends in your prayers.”
In a post to Facebook, the Circle City Raceway wrote echoed similar sentiments.
The organization wrote, “She always had a smile on her face and time for her fans… May GOD hold all of you as we all go through the loss of such a beautiful soul taken to soon.”
