‘A light,’ ‘a rockstar’: Kansas City remembers pedestrian killed in Westport fire truck crash
A woman killed in a crash Wednesday evening when a Kansas City firetruck collided with an SUV in Westport has been identified as an employee at Kansas City Public Schools.
Tami Knight, 41, who was fatally struck while walking down the street near Westport Road and Broadway Boulevard, was working as a data analyst at the time of her death, a district spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday. Two other people were killed in the crash.
“Tami was our quiet, rockstar data analyst,” said Kelly Wachel, a spokeswoman with KCPS. “The night of her death, she spent time telling each of her teammates personally why she was grateful for each them.”
“We are heartbroken,” she added.
Manny Abarca, a Kansas City School Board member, told The Star that while he never met Knight, her research and data were presented to the board often.
“Whether it’s trauma informed care, whether it’s accreditation, all of it, so much of it is dependent upon accurate data, and the work that she was doing with her team was incredibly important,” Abarca said, adding that Knight will be sorely missed.
According to her LinkedIn, Knight started as a data analyst for KCPS in 2019. She also ran her own photography business.
“This is an unfortunate tragedy for so many,” Abarca said. “During the holiday season, obviously it’s even harder to lose someone so important to so many people. My thoughts and prayers truly go out to her and the other victims of this tragedy.”
Knight was also a member of Club Pilates in Kansas City, which posted a remembrance of her on their Facebook on Saturday.
“Tami was a light in the studio. She ALWAYS had a smile on her face. Tami was gracious, encouraging and an incessant source of positivity and goodness,” the post read alongside photos of her hiking in Colorado and skydiving.
The other victims
The two people in the SUV who lost their lives — Jennifer San Nicholas, 41, and Michael Elwood, 25, — were both employees at Ragazza Food & Wine, according to the Italian restaurant.
“Both wonderful people and amazing employees. Their loss will be felt deeply by all of us,” Ragazza staff wrote on their Facebook page.
Family has launched a GoFundMe to help cover Elwood’s funeral expenses.
“Michael was a loving son, brother, and friend who brought joy, laughter, and friendship to the hearts of so many people who knew and loved him,” the post by organizer Anna Elwood read. “We are deeply saddened by his passing, and we will miss him forever.”
San Nicolas’s loved ones are also asking for financial help for her two dogs, Kaya and Hank, who are staying with friends and family, but are elderly and need extra care, according to the GoFundMe page.
“It is well known that Kaya and Hank were her world,” the page reads. “Jen would want them to live happy and healthy life. Helping them would definitely merit the so rare Jen hugs that we all want today.”
The Westport crash
On Wednesday night, moments before the crash, a fire truck was headed north on Broadway Boulevard in response to an emergency call with its lights and sirens blaring, police said at the time.
San Nicolas and Elwood were in a Honda SUV headed west on Westport Road when the two vehicles collided. The impact of the collision caused both vehicles northwest, where they struck Knight as she walked on the sidewalk. The vehicles then slammed into a building at 4048 Broadway, police said.
Moments before the collision, a dispatcher told the firetruck’s crew to “stand down” and “remain in quarters,” according to audio recordings from the incident.
About a minute later, a firefighter with Pumper 19 alerted dispatchers that it had been involved in an accident and requested an ambulance, according to the audio. It’s unclear whether the crash happened before or after the crew was told to stand down.
No firefighters were injured in the crash.
The building they crashed into, once home to the Riot Room, partially collapsed. The building had most recently houses office spaces, though police believe it was unoccupied at the time of the crash.
The Honda SUV and firetruck were pulled from the building Thursday morning. Hours later, rescuers recovered Knight’s body.
On Thursday morning, the Kansas City Fire Department released a written statement about the crash, writing: “Our hearts, prayers, and thoughts are with the families, friends and loved ones of everyone involved.”
“As first responders, we are entrusted to respond to incidents and help people, and we are heartbroken by last night’s tragic collision,” the statement continued. “KCFD is cooperating fully with the police investigation and will defer to KCPD for information about that investigation.”
This story was originally published December 21, 2021 at 2:20 PM.
