GILLETTE, Wyo. — Hey, readers! Thank you for hanging out with us this past year and trusting us as your source for community news. As 2024 comes to an end, we’re taking a moment to look back at our 10 most-read stories of the year.
This list comprises news stories written by staff that attracted the most pageviews in the last 12 months, and omits obituaries, arrests, closures, health inspection reports, reports provided by our partner organizations and category pages, such as the County 17 home page.
2024 Top 10
No. 10
It’s always unfortunate when a fatal crash occurs, but they are a grim reality on Wyoming roadways, particularly during the winter months. On Feb. 15, Rozet resident Jason Tisdale, 39, died following a commercial vehicle crash on Highway 50. According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol, a semi-tractor trailer unit jackknifed due to slick roadways and was struck by another semi-tractor trailer.
No. 9
The ninth most-read story on County 17 was first reported on Jan. 31 regarding a motorcycle–vehicle crash on South Butler Spaeth Road. The crash occurred on Jan. 30 when Campbell County resident Coyle R. Love, 20, reportedly crashed his 2023 Kawasaki motorcycle into a 19-year-old woman’s Ford passenger vehicle. Per the police report, the Ford passenger vehicle pulled out in front of Love as he crested a hill at Country Club Road and South Butler Spaeth Road.
No. 8
This past year, the story that took the eighth was about an offering from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, which announced on Sept. 30 that it was offering Type 8 hunting licenses to hunters. The licenses were put out for specific Wyoming hunt areas that state wildlife managers determined had overabundant elk populations and were valid for cow elk only.
No. 7
The seventh most-read story of 2024 highlighted the end of a manhunt for a murder suspect who was located by law enforcement on May 7 in southern Wyoming. In this incident, Wyoming law enforcement officers responded to a report of a murder suspect fleeing capture in Weld County, Colorado. The suspect, who was not identified in the report, was ultimately found deceased near FS Road 701.
No. 6
In April, two children were hospitalized after allegedly ingesting THC gummies while two adults were cited for child endangerment in what was the sixth most-read story of 2024. In this incident, emergency medical personnel responded to a Greenwood Avenue residence after a 9-year-old girl and a 10-year-old girl were found to have ingested THC edibles. Both girls were released from the hospital while charges were brought against their 28-year-old father and 28-year-old stepmother.
No. 5
The fifth most-read story of the year was a fatal crash in Converse County reported on Dec. 16. In a preliminary report from the Wyoming Highway Patrol, Timothy Hurst, 65, and Dawson McCuin, 23, died from injuries sustained in a head-on collision on Highway 59 near Douglas. Conditions were dry and clear at the time of the crash, and speed was considered as a contributing factor.
No. 4
On June 28, a grim headline dominated the day’s news regarding a 6-year-old girl’s death in an ATV crash near Gold Buckle Drive and Highway 51 west of Rozet. The crash occurred on June 27, when 6-year-old Elizabeth C. Garner succumbed to her injuries after she was allegedly run over by an ATV operated by another juvenile.
No. 3
In what would be a national story, the third most-read story of the year was about a horrific plane crash north of Gillette that sparked a federal investigation into the deaths of several members of a popular gospel band, The Nelons. The crash reportedly occurred 20–30 miles north of Gillette and sparked a wildfire.
No. 2
The second most-read story of the year covered the search for 55-year-old Tami L. Sturgeon, who went missing on March 23. At the time of publication, Sturgeon was last seen south of Bishop Road while shed hunting. Her disappearance sparked a multi-agency search and rescue that was later converted into a recovery effort.
No. 1
The most-read story of the year covered a fatal crash on Echeta Road near Foothills Boulevard on March 5. According to the police report, Gary M. Sharkey, 70, died when his water truck overturned after being struck in the side by a 14-year-old girl operating a 2011 Chevrolet. The investigation closed Echeta Road for several hours, during which Sharkey was pronounced deceased and the 14-year-old girl was treated for minor injuries.
