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A Kenyan athlete studying in the United States of America (US) has succumbed to injuries after she was involved in a tragic road accident. Joan Jepngetich, a student athlete at Carl Sandburg College died on Wednesday, December 25, following a car crash in Rock Island County, Illinois on Interstate 80.
The 24-year-old’s death was announced by Iowa Central Community College Track & Field in a post on Facebook and X on Thursday.
The post read, “Our thoughts and prayers are with Joan’s family, friends and the members of the Carl Sandburg College Cross Country/Track & Field team.”
According to Rock Island County Coroner Brian Gustafson, Jepngetich was pronounced dead at the scene.
Gustafson told Our Quad Cities News that the cause of the young athlete’s death was multiple traumatic injuries sustained in the vehicle accident,
A death investigation continues by Illinois State Police Troop Two, Illinois State Police’s Accident Reconstruction Unit and the Rock Island County Coroner’s office.
Illinois State Police (ISP) said the accident occurred at approximately 10:33 p.m. on Christmas day on Interstate 80 eastbound near Rock River.
A preliminary investigation indicates ISP Troop 2 responded to the location for the report of a single-vehicle fatal crash.
Last moments of Joan Jepngetich
According to Police, a Mercedes-Benz sedan that Jepngetich was travelling in drove off the roadway and struck a tree, causing the vehicle to catch fire.
The driver and another passenger were transported to an area hospital with injuries.
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Sandburg College in a statement expressed its devastation after Joan’s demise, further offering counseling services to students and employees affected by the loss.
“We’re heartbroken and share wishes of comfort, peace and healing to all of our Charger family, especially the families and friends of the students impacted by the accident. The college will continue to work with the students’ families to honor their wishes and will share more information as appropriate,” Sandburg College said.
Until her demise, Jepngetich was a member of the Carl Sandburg College national qualifying women’s cross-country team.
A native of Kenya, the 24-year-old was a sophomore transfer to Sandburg from Iowa Central.
This past season, she represented her collage in the All-Arrowhead Conference, All-Region 4 and placed 64th at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Cross Country Championships.
“Although she attended here only one year, Joan had a very positive impact as a student-athlete here on our campus. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family during this most difficult time,” the College noted.
Kenyan Man Arrested in the US Over Murder
Jepngetich’s demise comes following the death of another Kenyan in the US earlier last week.
According to a statement from New Castle County Police Department, 31-year-old Tracy Nyariki, who was residing in Delaware, went missing on December 20 in Bear, New Castle County.
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This was before her mutilated body was found inside a car belonging to a middle-aged man of Kenyan descent on Friday, December 22, 2024, night.
Nyariki’s employer filed a report with the Police after she failed to report to work for several days.
Officers swung into action and went to her New Castle County apartment on the night of December 20.
The officers did not, however, find Nyariki inside her apartment. After the officers failed to locate or get into contact with the 31-year-old, they issued a Gold Alert seeking help in finding the middle-aged woman.
By December 21, the main suspect, identified as Nobert Matara of Kenyan descent, was a potential person of interest in the investigation.
New Castle County detectives asked the Aberdeen Police Department in Maryland for help in finding Matara, his car and Nyariki.
“We uncovered several suspicious circumstances that raised concerns about her safety and well-being,” police said.
The 32-year-old was found inside his vehicle that day in Aberdeen with Tracy’s dismembered remains before he was arrested.
He is set to be extradited from Maryland to Delaware for an arraignment where he set to be charged with first-degree murder.
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