Early morning accident claims life of Rock Hills fifth grade student

 

January 19, 2023

Tragedy struck Jewell County about 7:35 Friday morning when the driver of a Rock Hills School vehicle transporting students lost control of her vehicle.

The accident happened on the Randall Road about one mile south of Highway 36. The northbound 2011 Chevrolet Suburban driven by Audra (Whelchel) Wilburn, 43, first went off the east side of the road and traveled along the ditch before returning to the road. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported when the vehicle returned to the road, it went into a yaw and overturned coming to rest on its top in the west ditch facing southwest.

At the time of the accident the vehicle contained six people, the driver and five students enroute to school. One of the students,Triptyn Reynolds, a fifth grader was pronounced dead at the accident scene. The other occupants were transported to the Jewell County Hospital at Mankato for observation. However, they did not appear to be seriously hurt.


The accident report indicates the driver was using a seat belt but does not indicate if her passengers were restrained. Apparently, the occupants remained in the vehicle until it came to a stop.

It was a foggy morning in many places but the accident report does not indicate if fog may have been a contributing factor.

The Rock Hills Boys Basketball team was scheduled to play that night in the Northern Plains League Tournament but declined the opportunity to play and took a forfeit.

Jewell County emergency services responded to the accident which was investigated by the Kansas Highway Patrol.

The deceased student's obituary follows:

Triptyn Reynolds

Triptyn Ray Reynolds "Trippy," 10, of rural Courtland, Kansas, died Friday, Jan. 13, 2023.


Trippy was born June 6, 2012, in Salina, Kansas. He is the youngest son of Dustin and Alisha (Shuler) Reynolds.

Trippy attend- ed school at Pike Valley Elementary his kindergarten year. He then moved to Wallace County (Kansas) Elementary School for first grade through some of third grade. He then transitioned to Rock Hills Elementary, where he was a 5th grader. Trippy excelled at math, but recess and PE were his favorite classes. Trippy was known in his class for spending most of his time on the floor, if it be from falling out of his seat, or "tripping" over nothing, to just rolling around on the floor. He lived up to his nickname "Trip."


Kansas Public Notices

Trippy was known for his infectious smile, endless energy, loving hugs and his gift for never knowing a stranger. Trippy spent all his time outside on the trampoline, fighting bad guys with whatever weapon he could dream up or playing Roblox with Cole. Recently being gifted a VR headset, he found his new source to release some of his energy.

He will forever be loved, and missed tremendously, by his many friends and family.

He is survived by his parents, Dustin and Alisha (Shuler) Reynolds; brothers, Tristyn and Treyton; and sister Tayla, all of rural Courtland; grandparents, Dan and Mary Reynolds of rural Formoso, and John and Sheryl Shuler of rural Concordia; uncles and aunts, Tyson Reynolds and wife, Stephanie, Brice Reynolds and wife, Cassie, Amy Plett and husband, Jason, Lexie Herrman and husband, Travis, and Colby Shuler; cousins, Trinity, Hunter, Konner, Talon, Jenaya, Kylee, Taeten, Brogan, Layne, Samara, Linnea, Kinley, Liam, Maverick, Lyrica, and Max; his beloved cats and dogs; other family and a host of friends.


His funeral will be at 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Rock Hills High School gymnasium in Mankato, Kansas. Burial will follow at White Rock Cemetery, rural Courtland.

Visitation and viewing will be from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 20, with family greeting friends from 6 to 8 p.m., at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home in Belleville.

Family and friends may also leave condolences and cards at Melby Mortuary in Mankato and Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home in Concordia.

Memorials are requested to the Triptyn R. Reynolds Memorial, and may be sent in care of Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 566, Belleville, Kansas 66935.


Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home is assisting Trippy's family with these arrangements.

 

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