‘Our hearts are extremely heavy.’ Kentucky high school football player dies in crash
A 17-year-old Mason County High School student was killed in a crash Thursday afternoon, according to school officials and the Mason County Sheriff’s Office.
Mason County Coroner David Lawrence confirmed Coltin Claypoole — who was on Mason County High School’s football team last season — died Thursday afternoon in the crash.
The wreck happened after 4 p.m. on Kentucky 3056 east of the Moyer Road intersection, according to the sheriff’s office. A Dodge Ram went off the right side of the road and struck several trees and telephone poles.
Claypoole was driving the truck and was partially ejected during the wreck, according to the sheriff’s office. He was pronounced dead on scene by the coroner’s office.
Three other occupants, two 17-year-old boys and one 13-year-old boy, were in the truck when it crashed, according to the sheriff’s office. They were taken to Meadowview Regional Medical Center for treatment.
The crash was under investigation by the sheriff’s office Friday morning.
Seth Faulkner, principal at Mason County High School, said in a media statement that four people involved in the wreck were students at the high school.
“Our hearts are extremely heavy today and our thoughts and prayers go out to all the students and families who have been impacted by yesterday’s tragic event,” Faulkner said in the statement.
Mason County High School officials said in a Facebook post they were setting up a Friday counseling schedule for students and families impacted by a “tragic event.”
“This is the type of news that you never want to receive,” Faulkner said in a statement. “Our attention and energy will now be focused on supporting the families and putting plans in place to help our school, students and community cope and heal over the next several days and weeks.”
Several people took to social media after news of the wreck came out to express grief and support. Joseph Dugan said in a Facebook post that life won’t be the same without Claypoole and it doesn’t “seem real.”
“I can’t imagine the pain and grief that is effecting everyone in our community,” Dugan said. He said Claypoole was taken too soon.
Chas Workman said Claypoole will be missed by a lot of people.
“After seeing post after post after post about you this afternoon & evening and reading all the kind words and thoughts people have about you, it goes to show you really were a great kid like you always told me you were,” Workman wrote in a Facebook post.
Claypoole was a sophomore on last year’s Mason County football team. The team won its district and its region in Class 3A last season.
