A community is mourning the tragic loss of Sterling teenager Chloe Jane Paulson, 16, who was killed in a motor vehicle accident in Gage County on Monday afternoon, March 23, 2026. Friends, family, and school officials have expressed their condolences as they remember a young life filled with promise, kindness, and achievement.
According to the Gage County Sheriff’s Department, emergency crews were dispatched at approximately 4:39 p.m. to a crash on South 23rd Road, about half a mile south of Highway 136. Deputies, along with Beatrice Fire and Rescue and Beatrice Rural Fire, arrived to find a 2022 Jeep Wagoneer fully engulfed in flames.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, but a female occupant was located inside the vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene. She was later identified as Chloe Paulson of Sterling.
Investigators determined that the vehicle had been traveling southbound on South 23rd Road when it left the roadway and struck a tree, resulting in the fire. Authorities have not released further details, and the incident remains under investigation.
Chloe, born March 16, 2010, in Fargo, North Dakota, was the daughter of Jon and Lydia (Burd) Paulson. She was a dedicated student at Sterling Public School, where she consistently earned honor roll recognition and participated in numerous activities including volleyball, basketball, speech, band, choir, and cheerleading.
Her family and school community remember her as a bright, energetic, and compassionate young woman whose presence uplifted those around her. Chloe shared a close bond with her parents and siblings, and she was deeply loved by her extended family, who will cherish her memory and the joy she brought into their lives.
Though her life was tragically cut short, Chloe’s legacy of kindness, dedication, and love will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew her.
