On the night of October 4, 2024, the 2024 Miss Teen Rodeo Kansas, Emma C. Brungardt, tragically lost her life in a single-vehicle accident. Emma, who was a member of the Colby College Community Rodeo Team, was involved in the crash that left five others injured, including her rodeo teammates.
The accident occurred at a Y intersection on County Road 21. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol’s report, the vehicle, a 2007 Ford F-250 truck, veered between the branches of the Y, crashing into a row of trees before coming to a stop. The vehicle ended up upright, facing south in the tree line. The driver, an 18-year-old from Flagler, Colorado, was among those injured in the crash.