Family mourns ‘amazing’ Buckner woman who died after a truck fleeing police struck her car
A Buckner family is remembering a devoted mother of five after she died Sunday when a driver fled from Independence police and struck her vehicle.
Sharon I. Ault, who grew up in Independence, died in the crash near South Little Blue Parkway and East Bundschu Road.
Last month, they had celebrated her 50th birthday, her daughter Jessica Ault said.
“She lived every moment to her fullest,” Jessica Ault said.
Sharon Ault loved family outings to the state fair and craft fairs. When her children were kids, they went to Disney on Ice, and she made all of them T-shirts to wear.
“She was an amazing person, loving, caring, devoted to being a mom,” Jessica Ault said.
On Sunday, Sharon Ault and three of her children were cleaning out her father’s home. He died about two months ago.
They were enjoying going through family memories, Jessica Ault said.
After they were done, Sharon Ault dropped off two of her kids and told them “she had a wonderful time and didn’t want it to end,” Jessica Ault said.
She stopped by a Walmart to pick up some groceries and was about 15 minutes from her house when a truck struck her vehicle.
According to Independence police Sgt. Jeff Buck, officers were patrolling around Lee’s Summit Road and South Avenue when they saw a red Ford F-150 truck without a license plate. An officer attempted to stop the driver, who fled north on Lee’s Summit Road.
Police chased the truck to the area of Little Blue Parkway and Bundschu Road. Officers terminated the pursuit when they realized the truck was heading north in the southbound lanes, Buck said. Moments later, the truck hit the Dodge Avenger Sharon Ault was driving on her way home. Authorities pronounced her dead at the scene.
Jessica Ault said officers told the family that Sharon Ault died instantly upon impact.
“We are just grieving the loss of our mom,” she said.
She added that the driver’s bad choices added up, and that she thinks he should face consequences through the justice system.
Loved ones started a fundraiser for Sharon Ault’s family.
Police took the driver and a passenger into custody.
Buck said police later determined the truck had been stolen.
This story was originally published September 26, 2023 at 12:48 PM.
