Driver headed wrong way on I-70 crashes into oncoming traffic, killing one of the drivers
A driver headed the wrong way on westbound Interstate 70 crashed into oncoming traffic, including a semitractor-trailer, killing one of the drivers, a police spokesman said.
The fatal crash occurred about 12:25 a.m. Tuesday along I-70 near U.S. 40 highway and Blue Ridge Boulevard, said Sgt. Jeff Buck with the Independence Police Department’s traffic safety unit.
A preliminary investigation revealed that a driver of a Toyota Camry was headed east in the westbound lanes of I-70 and crashed into a Kia Optima, killing its driver, Buck said.
The Camry continued east and collided with a semi-truck, Buck said. A Honda Accord then crashed with the Camry before traffic on the highway came to a stop.
The driver of the Optima was identified as 64-year-old Ricky Monroe of Blue Springs. Two of the other three drivers were seriously injured in the crash and were taken to hospitals for treatment of serious injuries.
The crash closed down westbound westbound Interstate 70 at Noland Road for hours before it was fully reopened shortly before 8 a.m., Buck said.
“Please use an alternate route,” Independence police, in a post on Facebook, asked drivers as they headed out on their morning commute.
Kansas City Scout traffic showed that the shutdown caused traffic to back up beyond Lee’s Summit Road and nearly to the interchange with Interstate 470/Missouri 291 highway during the morning commute.
This story was originally published January 28, 2025 at 6:31 AM.
