STILESVILLE, Ind. — The Cascade High School community is mourning the loss of a 17-year-old rising senior, who died in an early morning crash in Hendricks County on July 31.
The Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department said it responded to the report of a single vehicle crash around 6:20 a.m. on U.S. 40, near County Road 300 West.
Deputies said the car was traveling eastbound on U.S. 40 when it left the roadway and hit a tree.
Ryan Bell died at the scene. He was an incoming senior at Cascade High School and was a student-athlete, according to police.
The Cascade High School wrestling and football programs shared tributes to Bell across social media Monday, and remembered him as a passionate, positive person.
"It is with heavy hearts that we announce the loss of soon to be senior Ryan Bell, who tragically passed away this morning in a car accident. Ryan 'Dolla' Bell was one of the most passionate and positive players under the lights. You could always find him in the middle of the huddle giving his epic pre-game speeches, laughing with his teammates and being the life of the locker room," the Cascade Football program wrote.
"Ryan, was not just an athlete, but a great friend to so many teammates and an even better person. He was one of the hardest workers in the room and always looked for an opportunity to get his time to shine. He walked around with tons of confidence and never backed down from anything. Please keep Ryan Bell's family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. You will truly be missed by so many," the post continued.
The wrestling program said Ryan was a "joy to be around, a great teammate, and always worked hard."
Deputies said drugs and alcohol are not suspected as contributing factors at this time.