‘Someone is inside’: Audio reveals efforts to find semi dragging Kia on Kansas highway
A police dispatcher’s call sending two Overland Park officers to check on an “unknown accident” on Interstate 435 early Wednesday didn’t hint that there would be anything out of the ordinary about the crash.
The dispatcher came back moments later saying: “It’s actually going to be a semi that’s pulling a car that’s stuck underneath,” according to audio captured by Broadcastify.com.
As officers sped to the area of Metcalf Avenue and I-435, the dispatcher advised that the truck was passing Antioch Road and continuing westbound on I-435. She then relayed that the persons reporting the crash “believe that they think someone is inside the vehicle that’s stuck underneath the semi.”
By then, the semi was approaching Quivira Road.
“Can you notify Lenexa and KHP in case we’re not able to get there?” the dispatcher was asked as officers converged on the area.
Eventually, an officer caught up to the truck and stopped it near Lackman Road on I-435.
As fire and emergency medical crews responded to the scene, an officer asked dispatch to let them know that the driver was not conscious and possibly not breathing. Officers said they were unable to get a pulse.
“It looks like she’s starting to come to now,” an officer said moments later. “Let medical know that we’re going to need extrication.”
The woman had told officers that she could not move to get out of the car. She also complained that she was in a lot of pain.
After fire crews arrived and freed her from the vehicle, an ambulance took her to a hospital to be checked out. Her condition has not been released.
Police believe the semi dragged the car nearly eight miles after a crash about 3:30 a.m. at the intersection of the on-ramp to westbound I-435 and State Line Road.
The truck was headed through intersection on a green light when the Kia, headed south on State Line, slid through on a red light. The Kia, driven by a 28-year-old Kansas City woman, struck the trailer in front of the rear wheels, said Capt. Brad Robbins, a spokesman for the Leawood Police Department.
The truck driver told police he didn’t see anything after the impact, so he kept driving until he was stopped by officers, police said.
Dispatchers received a 911 call just after 3:30 a.m. reporting that a semi-truck was dragging a vehicle under the edge of its trailer on westbound I-435. Overland Park police were able to stop the semi about 3:45 a.m.
Leawood Police are investigating.
