Speed, wrong-way driver lead to separate crashes killing 2 overnight in Kansas City
Two separate crashes — one involving excessive speed and the other a wrong-way driver — killed two people in Kansas City overnight, a police spokesman said.
The crashes pushed the number of people killed in traffic crashes to eight so far this year in Kansas City, compared to three for the same period last year, according to Capt. Jake Becchina with the Kansas City Police Department.
The first crash occurred shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday as a driver of a silver Chevrolet Malibu was headed north on The Paseo at high speeds, Becchina said.
The driver, who was the only one in the car, lost control just south of 19th Street on a curve in the road. The car then went over the curb onto the sidewalk and struck a short concrete wall, Becchina said. The car continue down the sidewalk and struck a large tree before coming to a stop.
The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead, Becchina said.
Shortly before 12:30 a.m. Friday, a driver of a white Hyundai Elantra was headed north in the southbound lanes of Oldham Road and crashed head on into a black Dodge Durango near Oakwood Road in Swope Park, he said.
The driver of the Hyundai, who was alone in the car and was not wearing a seat belt, died in the crash, Becchina said.
The driver of the Dodge and a child passenger were taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries that were not thought to be life threatening. They were in stable condition Friday morning.
