The quiet hills outside Elkins turned heavy with grief Friday evening when a teenage girl lost her life in a sudden ATV crash. Rileigh “Ri” Wingfield, a 15-year-old student at Elkins High School, died after the off-road vehicle she was riding in crashed on private farmland near Isner Creek Road.
Emergency dispatchers received the call shortly after 6:08 p.m. on March 6. When first responders arrived at the scene, they found a devastating situation. A teenage girl had suffered fatal injuries in the crash involving a 2022 Can-Am Defender. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities later confirmed that three other juveniles were also inside the ATV when the crash happened. The vehicle had been traveling on private farmland in the rural area outside town. Investigators said no other injuries were reported at the scene.
Police have not publicly released the victim’s name. But an obituary later identified the girl as Rileigh Wingfield, known by friends and family as “Ri.” The Elkins teenager was remembered as someone whose bright smile and warm personality made her well known around school and in the community.
Wingfield was a sophomore at Elkins High School. She played on the school’s softball team and spent much of her time with friends and family. Those who knew her say she loved the outdoors, hiking, animals, and being around children.
The news sent shockwaves through the local school community. Randolph County Schools Superintendent Shawn Dilly confirmed that an Elkins High student had died and that other students connected to the incident were seriously injured over the weekend. Counselors and support staff were made available at the school as students returned to class.
Across town, messages of sympathy quickly began pouring in. The City of Elkins and Elkins High School shared public statements offering condolences and urging the community to keep the families involved in their thoughts and prayers during a painful time.
Friends, neighbors, and even strangers stepped forward to help the grieving family. A fundraising campaign created to support the Wingfield family quickly gathered thousands of dollars to assist with funeral costs and daily expenses as they cope with the loss of their daughter.
For many in Elkins, the loss of Rileigh Wingfield feels deeply personal. In a small town where classmates grow up together and families know each other well, the sudden loss of a young life leaves a space that will not easily be filled.
