It’s been a dangerous month so far on Platte County roadways with an interstate highway closure lasting hours, a fatality crash, a pursuit, an officer injured in a crash and more.
The most recent incident occurred at Interstate 29 at Waukomis Drive on Saturday, Oct. 11. A Kansas City police officer was assisting another officer with a DUI stop and had his cruiser parked on the shoulder in the northbound lanes, with his emergency lights on, when a blue Kia Forte struck the rear of the police car. The crash happened just after midnight, and both the officer and the driver of the Kia were transported to area hospitals.
On Friday, Oct. 10, at about 8 a.m., the Platte County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a possible intoxicated driver traveling in a stolen vehicle southbound on Highway 45. Platte County deputies located the suspect vehicle, and attempted to initiate a vehicle stop on the suspect vehicle (2006 Silver Dodge Ram truck). When the suspect vehicle failed to stop for the deputy, a pursuit was initiated.
The suspect vehicle continued to flee from the deputy as they traveled southbound on Hwy. 45 and then continued southeast on Highway 273. The suspect vehicle avoided a tire deflation device that had been deployed on Hwy. 273 and then continued onto Interstate 29 where the suspect vehicle went southbound on I-29 from Platte City. The pursuit continued southbound on I-29 until a trooper with the Missouri State Highway Patrol initiated a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI) maneuver to end the pursuit on southbound I-29 near 64th Street. The suspect vehicle crashed ending the pursuit and one 18-year-old male subject was taken into custody at the scene.
No officers were injured in the pursuit, the suspect was transported to an area hospital before being transported to the Platte County Detention Center.
On Tuesday, Oct. 7, at approximately 6:30 a.m., the Missouri Highway Patrol responded to a crash in the median of a 2019 Freightliner semi tractor-trailer. The truck, driven by a 62-year-old Topeka, Kan. man, went off the roadway and overturned in the median just north of Highway 92 in Platte City. The tanker trailer contained potentially hazardous materials, prompting both full and partial closures of I-29 for several hours while the materials were transferred to another truck and the crash cleared.
The driver of the truck sustained serious injuries and was transported to North Kansas City Hospital for treatment.
On Sunday, Oct. 5, at approximately 4 p.m., the Platte County Sheriff’s Office responded to a single vehicle crash on Farley Hampton Road near Baker Road in rural Platte County. Upon arrival, responding deputies located a 2023 Triumph motorcycle in the grass on the southwest corner of the intersection of Farley Hampton and Baker Roads. The driver of the motorcycle was located approximately 20 yards from the motorcycle and there were two parties on scene attempting life saving measures. The responding deputy took over life-saving measures until EMS arrived on scene. The driver of the motorcycle, a 38-year-old resident of the Lansing/Leavenworth Kansas area (later identified as Kyle Jonsson) was declared dead after being transported to a local area hospital.
The cause and circumstances leading up to the motor vehicle crashes remain under investigation by the Platte County Sheriff’s Office Crash Team.
On Thursday, Oct. 2 at approximately 6:40 am, the Platte County Sheriff’s Office responded to a motor vehicle crash on Hwy. 45 at NW River Road in rural Platte County. The preliminary investigation of the crash indicates that a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt was traveling north on Hwy. 45 when it hydroplaned, sliding sideways into the southbound lane and was struck by a 2019 Ford Fusion traveling southbound.
After both vehicles came to rest, they were both struck by a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro that was also traveling southbound on Hwy. 45. The driver of the Cobalt, a 20-year-old male from Grandview, Mo. identified as Gunner Lee was deceased at the scene. The driver of the Ford Fusion, a 39-year-old resident of Platte City, identified as Brett Miller and his passenger a 65-year-old resident of Smithville, identified as John Benner were transported to an area hospital for treatment.
The driver of the Chevrolet Camaro, identified as Cheryl Chapman a 60-year-old resident of Platte City received minor injuries but was not transported for medical attention.
The cause and circumstances leading up to the motor vehicle crashes remain under investigation by the Platte County Sheriff’s Office Crash Team. Hwy. 45 Hwy remained closed for approximately three hours during the on-scene investigation.