By: NICOLAS FIERRO
Salina Post
The family of the late Riley Dean Faris, is questioning why no criminal charges were placed on an individual involved in the crash that took away his life.
Riley Faris passed away at age 30 on October 17, 2025 after riding his motorcycle, when he was hit from behind on a Brookville road. The crash happened at approximately 6:53 pm on K-140 Highway at Perry Street. Faris was headed westbound when a 2003 Subaru Forester operated by Kiley Barnett (39) from Kanopolis, hit him from behind.
Barnett was booked into the Saline County Jail that same night with requested charges of No Proof of Insurance, Driving While Suspended (DWS) and Following Too Close. She was then released.
According to Kansas Court records, Barnett has 40 traffic violations.
Colton Faris, brother of Riley made a Facebook video on February 3, 2026 discussing a conversation he had with Saline County Attorney, John Reynolds.
Colton stated his mother got in contact via phone with Reynolds and wondered why they have not received an accident report after five months since the incident. During the phonecall, Colton said Reynolds explained to his mother the charges placed on Barnett and further said "that is just what happens when you ride a motorcycle."
Colton then called Reynolds on why he made the comment. According to Colton, Reynolds described to him that he thinks there was no evidence to place any sort of murder or involuntary manslaughter charge on Barnett.
"He (Reynolds) said, yes she killed him but it was not criminal. I don't understand that when you don't have a license, you are not supposed to be driving and when you don't have insurance, which is required to drive a car, how killing him is not a criminal offense," said Colton Faris on the video.
Reynolds told Salina Post he did not make explicitly make the comment of "that is just what happens when you ride a motorcycle," but instead was "taken out of context."
He said the context was he explained how "when cars and motorcycles collide, it always ends up bad for the motorcyclist."
Saline County Sheriff's Office on accident report
The Saline County Sheriff's Office told Salina Post why the Faris family received the accident report 3 and one half months later.
According to the Sheriff's Office, reports are available through the Kansas Open Records Act, but with fluid cases (evolving) and cases with the potential to result in criminal charges without a criminal court disposition, are two of the several exemptions to the act.
In this case, the law enforcement agency did not have a court disposition, or any information if criminal charges were not going to be filed by the County Attorney until the week of Feb. 2 - 6, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The Sheriff's Office wanted to confirm there were not going to be criminal charges filed prior to releasing a narrative report that could potentially interfere with criminal prosecution.
Once this was learned, the Sheriff's Office encouraged the Faris family to request the case again and the report was disseminated within 48 hours.
"We strive to provide the appropriate information at the appropriate time while adhering to the Kansas Open Records Act," said the Sheriff's Office.
Reynolds stated the charges placed on Barnett were "traffic violations" and not criminal charges.
Reynolds explains the accident
Reynolds provided details on what happened in the accident.
According to Reynolds, there was a vehicle going southbound leaving Brookville and got onto K-140 westbound. He said the vehicle got right in front of Faris, which caused him to slow down. Barnett coming from behind was headed westbound and once she became aware of Faris slowing down, she had a "very narrowed reaction time, because she closed the gap between him and the vehicle in front," according to Reynolds.
Reynolds said Barnett tried to avoid colliding with Faris during this time.
"By the time she realizes what's going on, she goes to take evasive maneuvers to move over into the other lane to go around Faris," Reynolds said. "She almost missed him."
Reynolds further said he knew this happened, because he not only visited the accident scene, but also by determining the marks on the vehicles, roadway and review of law enforcement body cameras.
"There were two state troopers out there, they came to the same conclusion of the deputies and what I had," said Reynolds.
Additionally, Reynolds said Barnett should have been farther back before the crash. He placed the Following Too Close charge, because the crash resulted in a fatality.
He also said Faris was not wearing a helmet.
For Barnett to have been placed a requested charge of Involuntary Manslaughter, Reynolds stated the following would need to include:
- Killing someone recklessly.
- Killing someone while committing or attempting to commit a felony.   
- Killing someone while DUI.   
- During to commission of an unlawful act in an unlawful manner; Or in attempting to commit, or in flight from, an act described in KSA 8-1567.
"I did not see any of these elements in the affidavit filed in this case," said Reynolds.
Petition started to demand felony charges and removal County Attorney
The cousin of the late Riley Faris, started a petition titled "JUSTICE FOR RILEY: Demand Felony Charges and Removal of Saline County Attorney J. Reynolds."
Stated in the petition, the writer brought up Kansas statutes for upgraded charges on Barnett.
"The charges against Kiley Barnett be upgraded to the highest extent of the law. Under K.S.A. 21-5403, a killing committed unintentionally but recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life is Second-Degree Murder. At a minimum, this must be prosecuted as Involuntary Manslaughter (K.S.A. 21-5405), a Level 5 Person Felony."
Furthermore, it stated Kansas Rules of Professional Conduct for the removal of Reynolds.
- "The Broken Oath of Office Under K.S.A. 54-106, John Reynolds took a solemn oath to faithfully discharge the duties of his office. A County Attorney’s most sacred duty is to serve as a Minister of Justice. This means applying the law equally to every citizen, regardless of whether they walk, drive, or ride. By dismissing Riley’s death as an occupational hazard of riding a motorcycle, Mr. Reynolds has breached that oath. He has replaced the law of Kansas with his own personal bias, proving he is either unwilling or unable to faithfully protect the rights of all Saline County residents."
- "KRPC 3.8 (Minister of Justice): A prosecutor is a minister of justice, not just an advocate. By dismissing a fatality based on the victim’s vehicle, he has failed his duty to see that justice is accorded to all."
- "KRPC 8.4(d) & (g): His comments are prejudicial to the administration of justice and reflect a bias that renders him unfit to practice law or serve the public impartially.K.S.A. 74-7333 (Crime Victims Bill of Rights): He has failed to treat Riley’s family with the courtesy, compassion, and respect for their dignity mandated by Kansas law."
The petition currently has over 4,000 signatures.
Barnett is scheduled to appear in court for a status conference on March 25.
The Saline County court will determine to either take the Barnett case to trial on if she will be convicted for DWS, No Proof of Insurance and Following Too Close.