A Quiet Morning Turned Into a Night That Changed Lives Forever
The early hours of November 28 were supposed to be quiet in the vast stillness of Bombing Range Road near Scenic, South Dakota. Instead, the peace was shattered by a devastating single-vehicle crash that took the life of 25-year-old Thomas Barlese of Kyle. First responders arrived to a scene no family ever hopes to face—one marked by twisted metal, sirens cutting through the silence, and the heartbreaking reality that a young passenger would never return home. Thomas was pronounced dead at the scene, leaving behind loved ones now reeling from a sudden, unimaginable loss.
The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office worked swiftly alongside emergency medical crews, doing everything they could in a moment already beyond repair. A life had been taken too soon, and the weight of that truth now sits heavily on the shoulders of everyone who knew Thomas.
Arrest Made as Investigators Search for Answers in Tragic Crash
Authorities identified the driver as 37-year-old Nicholas Foltz of Fort Bidwell, California. He survived the crash with non-life-threatening injuries—but the consequences of the night did not end there. After an initial investigation, Foltz was taken into custody and now faces charges of vehicular homicide and driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or another intoxicant. What began as a simple drive ended in irreversible heartbreak, and now the legal process begins to unfold.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene, underscoring the gravity of the crash. The South Dakota Highway Patrol, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, National Park Service, Rapid City Fire Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office all worked together to secure the area and document evidence. Their efforts ensured that the truth of what happened that morning would not be lost—but no amount of investigative work can piece together the life taken or the pain left behind.
For now, officials continue to comb through details, reviewing circumstances that led to the violent impact. Their work remains active and ongoing, as the community waits for clarity and closure in a situation where neither comes easily.
A Family Grieves, a Community Stands Still, and a Life Is Remembered
The sudden loss of Thomas Barlese has sent shockwaves through Kyle and beyond, leaving family, friends, and community members struggling with grief that feels both heavy and senseless. He was more than a name on a police report—he was someone loved, someone valued, someone whose absence will echo in the spaces he once filled. The news has left many searching for understanding, for comfort, for a way to hold onto memories while navigating the crushing weight of reality.