Carjacking in Topeka: Veteran Loses Transportation Service Vehicle— Who Will Pick Up “His Guys” Now?
TOPEKA, KS – A Topeka Navy veteran who has spent the last six months helping residents rebuild their lives after incarceration and treatment has lost his only vehicle — and with it, the ability to keep his mission going.
Chris Rhodes, a post-9/11 veteran who has lived in Topeka since 2016, reported that his 2007 grey Hyundai Santa Fe, marked with Ride and Shine Transportation Services magnets, was stolen in the early hours of the morning during what he described as a carjacking. The incident was reported to the Topeka Police Department.
A Hard-Earned License to Serve
Rhodes said getting properly licensed to operate legally in Topeka was not easy.
“I went through hell to be fully licensed by the city to do this work,” Rhodes said.
That process — which required permits and inspections — allowed him to legally provide rides and gave him the credibility he needed to build relationships with workforce programs and halfway houses.
Filling a Critical Gap in Reentry Support
Rhodes’ service has been more than a job; it’s been a lifeline. Licensed through City Hall, he had an informal arrangement with the workforce commission to transport people to and from work. Many of his riders were residents of Mirror Halfway House transitioning out of incarceration or treatment.
“For the first two weeks, workforce paid for their rides,” Rhodes explained. “After that, they had to pay me directly — but I still picked them up whether they had money or not.”
He charged less than half of what corporate rideshares like Uber or Lyft would cost, often starting his day at 5 a.m. and ending around 11 p.m. just to make sure his riders could keep their jobs.
A Blow to the Whole Community
Rhodes said his greatest frustration isn’t about his own financial situation — it’s about what happens to his riders now.
“They counted on me and now I can’t help them,” he said.
Without affordable transportation, many of these residents could lose employment, jeopardizing their reentry into society and creating a larger community issue.
How You Can Help
Chris Rhodes does not have enough insurance to replace the stolen vehicle and is now without his only source of income. The community can help in two ways:
- Send donations via Cash App: $lemonademasters
- Donate a reliable car or van: If you have a running vehicle you can part with, contact This Is Topeka to arrange getting it to Chris.
This is a chance for Topeka to rally behind a veteran who has been quietly serving the community every day.
Anyone who sees a grey 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe with handicap plates and “Ride and Shine Transportation Services” magnets on the sides is urged to contact Topeka police immediately.
