KCK man charged with murder after allegedly crashing vehicle, killing two
A Kansas City, Kansas man was charged with second-degree murder Tuesday for allegedly killing two people after escaping a police chase, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.
Jose Angel Vega, 28, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and armed criminal action and one count each of resisting a lawful stop, DWI resulting in death and driving with a revoked license for allegedly fleeing police, crashing his car and causing the deaths of two people.
On Oct. 2, a Kansas City police officer tried to stop Vega’s 2004 Cadillac CTS when it was doing doughnuts in the street, according to court records. The car partially stopped at Truman Road and Grand Boulevard, but then drove northbound on Grand at a high speed, police said.
After the Cadillac drove through a red light at 13th Street and Grand, the officer turned off their siren and lights and stopped the chase, according to court records.
The Cadillac continued and struck a Chevrolet Silverado stopped at a red light at 11th Street and Grand, police said. Vega was allegedly traveling 103 mph just before he hit the truck.
Both vehicles continued driving, when the Chevrolet struck a light pole on the east side of Grand, and the Cadillac traveled across all lanes of traffic before hitting a light pole and catching fire.
The same officer who previously tried to stop the Cadillac arrived at the scene, noticed that Vega allegedly smelled of alcohol and extinguished the fire, according to court records.
Both the passenger in the Cadillac and the driver of the Chevrolet were taken to the hospital and later died of their injuries.
Vega was also taken to a hospital with serious injuries. Police said he had a suspended Kansas license.
He is being held on $500,000 bail.
