Albany girl attempting suicide caused death of other driver, deputies say

A 17-year-old girl is in custody following an investigation that indicated she caused the death of another woman while trying to commit suicide on Airport Road in Lebanon.

Kathryn Schilz, 17, of Albany, was arrested Thursday on a charge of first-degree manslaughter in the death of Tonya Thompson, 40, of Lebanon, said the Linn County Sheriff’s Office in a press release. She was being held at the Linn-Benton Detention Center.

The crash occurred April 9 in the 36000 block of Airport Road in Lebanon when Schilz intentionally steered her car into oncoming traffic to attempt suicide and crashed her car into a 1999 Subaru Outback driven by Thompson, deputies said.

Thompson died at the scene.

Witnesses told deputies that Schilz appeared to deliberately drive into the oncoming traffic. Witnesses also said Schilz stated she intentionally caused the crash in an attempt to commit suicide.