State Rep. Jim Walsh’s wife dies in car accident

The wife of prominent Washington state Representative Jim Walsh has died in a traffic collision.

According to a report from the Washington State Patrol, 58-year-old Jamie Walsh was killed late Monday morning, when her car crashed into a fully-loaded log truck on U.S. Route 101 north of the Montesano cutoff.

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The Chinook Observer reports that Walsh allegedly crossed the center line near milepost 79 north of the cutoff and struck the truck driven by Edward Reames, 60, of Aberdeen. Neither was accompanied by passengers and both were wearing seat belts.

Walsh died at the scene and the driver of the log truck was not injured.

Walsh was the former director of the Aberdeen School District, serving from 2014 to 2017. The Aberdeen School District Board of Directors released a statement following the announcement of her death.

“It was my pleasure to serve with her, and I enjoyed the times we were able to talk even after her service on the board,” President Jennifer Durney wrote. “She was passionate about our community and about our students. As an architect, she especially enjoyed the contribution she was able to make to our capital improvement projects.”

She is survived by her husband, Rep. Walsh, and their five kids.

Governor Jay Inslee tweeted that the news was “absolutely heartbreaking” and that he and Trudi Inslee extend their “deepest sympathies to Representative Jim Walsh and their family.”