CHS, UK mourn AT alumnus Richie Wells Jr., killed in crash during Atlanta police chase

By Drew Amman and Ryan Clark
LEX 18

The University of Kentucky and the College of Health Sciences are mourning the loss of 26-year-old alumnus Richie Wells Jr., an athletic trainer who worked with the Wildcats during their run to last year's College World Series.

Wells died in a crash in the Atlanta area during a police investigation into a series of robberies. Josh Walker, UK's former head athletic trainer for baseball, worked closely with Wells for two full seasons at Kentucky, and remembers him for "how genuine a person he was. He just absolutely cared so much for every person that was in his path."

Wells earned a graduate certificate in Musculoskeletal Injury Management from the Athletic Training program in 2022 and became baseball’s Head Athletic Trainer that same year. He spent a total of four seasons with the team.

According to police, the incident began with a robbery at a Chick-fil-A Monday night in Atlanta. Officers pursued a suspected vehicle, which ended in a crash with another vehicle, killing Wells. The suspect survived the crash. Investigators believe the vehicle they were chasing may be connected to three additional robberies across metro Atlanta.

Walker, who supervised Wells during his internship from fall 2020 to spring 2022, offered a tribute to his former colleague: "All we can do is take our memories, take our life lessons given by Richie and live them out. That's how we can honor Richie."

After his internship at Kentucky, Wells worked a minor league job in the Los Angeles Angels organization before returning to UK.

Walker noted that "he knew this program, he knew every aspect of what it meant and what it was going to mean to be an athletic trainer at the University of Kentucky."

Wells left UK and college athletics, moving to the Atlanta area after the Wildcats' College World Series appearance in 2024. When asked what lesson people should take from how Wells approached relationships, Walker responded: "Care for others and use the time to make those around you better. I know he did that."

Walker added that the number of lives fundamentally changed by Wells at Kentucky will continue to live out for generations at UK.

"Richie typified what this program embodies: An inquisitive and engaged scholarly clinician," said Phillip Gribble, PhD, ATC, FNATA and Professor and Chair of the Department of Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition, as well as Program Director for the post-professional Graduate Certificate program in Musculoskeletal Injury Management.

"I am grateful that he helped launch this program as a member of that first class in 2022," Gribble continued. "After he accepted the full-time athletic trainer position with the UK baseball program shortly after graduation, I called on him to lend his expertise as a guest lecturer to the students in our program. Without hesitation he accepted these opportunities and did a fantastic job educating students that would go on to be his fellow alumni. Richie was an outstanding ambassador for athletic training, UK, and the many passions he had outside of our profession. He was a friend and supporter to so many people, and we all will miss him tremendously."