Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Isle of Wight County and the city of Franklin are mourning the loss of Kristin Felts, a Smithfield Middle School teacher who died March 5 in a two-vehicle crash on Walters Highway.

Virginia State Police say the collision appears to be weather-related.

Thunderstorms and wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph were blowing through Isle of Wight County at the time of the accident. State Police say Kristin Wiley Felts, 50, of Franklin, was traveling south on Walters Highway, south of Bows and Arrows Road, when she swerved into the northbound lanes and into the path of a Chevrolet Camaro, striking it head-on. Police responded to the scene at approximately 3:20 p.m.

The driver of the Camaro, a 28-year-old man whom police have not identified, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Felts was taken to Suffolk’s Sentara Obici Hospital, where she died.

The investigation is ongoing. Police say weather and speed were contributing factors. 

Felts was originally from Virginia Beach and had been teaching at SMS since she graduated Longwood University, according to the school’s website. Her biography on the school’s website states teaching physical education was her dream since seventh grade.

“It is with deep sorrow that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of Mrs. Felts, a beloved physical education teacher at Smithfield Middle School,” Isle of Wight County Schools said on its Facebook page on March 6. “For 27 years, she dedicated her life to shaping and inspiring thousands of students, leaving a lasting impact on our school community. Her kindness, passion, and unwavering commitment to her students will never be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband, children, and all who knew and loved her. In this difficult time, we stand together as a school family, offering support and comfort to one another.”

She was the wife of Travis Felts, who since 2012 had served as principal of Franklin High School and was recently reassigned to Franklin City Public Schools’ central office, prompting an organized protest by FHS students.

This is a developing story.