Police identify pedestrian killed along with Kansas City police officer and his K-9
Kansas City Police today identified Jesse Eckes, 52, as the pedestrian killed Wednesday in the same high-speed crash that also took the life of police officer James Muhlbauer and his police K-9, Champ.
A public visitation for Muhlbauer, 42, a 20-year veteran of the Kansas City Police Department, is planned for Wednesday. No funeral arrangements for Eckes have been publicly announced.
Eckes, Muhlbauer and Champ, a 3-year-old Dutch Shepherd, were killed following a crash at around 10:18 p.m. Muhlbauer and Champ were on patrol heading east in their Ford Crown Victoria. At the intersection of Benton Boulevard, a white Ford Fusion traveling at what authorities said was at least 85 miles per hour went through a red light and slammed into the driver’s side of the patrol car. The impact caused a second collision, hitting Eckes who was sitting on a concrete traffic signal island.
Eckes and Champ were declared dead at the scene. Muhlbauer, the officer, was rushed to a nearby hospital and declared dead soon after.
On Friday, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced her office filed two counts of involuntary manslaughter against Jerron Lightfoot, 18, of Tonganoxie, for operating a vehicle at an excessive speed and running a red light, causing the fatal crash.
Lightfoot is scheduled Monday be released from Jackson County Jail on a $30,000 bond on which he must pay 10%.
The public visitation for Muhlbauer is being held at Municipal Auditorium, 301 West 13th Street in Kansas City. Those who want to pay their respects should arrive between 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. An 11:30 a.m. funeral service will follow the visitation. The department plans to livestream the service.
This story was originally published February 20, 2023 at 10:20 AM.
