Platte City Police Department officials believe a man who ran a red light and caused a fiery three-vehicle car crash in Platte City Thursday morning was suicidal.
Officials said a loaded weapon was found in his vehicle at the scene of the accident. The 29-year-old man and another person were injured in the accident and taken to area hospitals.
PCPD Det. Al DeValkenaere said officers were dispatched to a domestic call involving a suicidal party on Maple Drive in Platte City. DeValkenaere said while en route, officers became aware of a major accident at the intersection of Highway 92 and Prairie View Road and rerouted personnel to that location. DeValkenaere said a pickup truck driven by the alleged suicidal party apparently swerved around eastbound traffic on Highway 92 stopped at the spotlight. The vehicle then struck head-on another pickup turning from the westbound lane of 92 south onto Prairie View Road. The second pickup was pushed into another vehicle and then burst into flames. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire before the vehicle exploded.
DeValkenaere said the case remains under investigation and no arrests had been made as of Thursday afternoon. He said the alleged suicidal suspect was being held at an area hospital to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.