Missing teen killed while walking on Interstate 70 on Kansas City’s East Side
A teen reported missing overnight was killed early Thursday when he was struck by a car while walking along eastbound Interstate 70 on Kansas City’s East Side, a police spokesman said.
Police identified the teen as 14-year-old Mario Myers, said Sgt. Phil DiMartino with the Kansas City Police Department.
Mario was reported missing after he was last seen about 3 a.m. walking in the area of East 39th Street and Bales Avenue. Police said he needed immediate medical treatment.
DiMartino said the crash occurred shortly after 4:30 a.m. along eastbound I-70 near Manchester Trafficway, which is less than four miles away from where Mario was last seen..
A preliminary investigation found that the Mario was walking in a middle lane of I-70 just west of Manchester. A white Chevrolet Malibu heading east struck him, and the teen died at the scene, DiMartino said.
The driver of the Chevrolet was not injured and stopped immediately, remaining at the scene of the crash.
The death Thursday marked the 35th traffic fatality of the year, compared to 48 by this time last year.
All lanes of eastbound I-70 were closed for about 2 1/2 hours while police investigated. The highway has since fully reopened.
The investigation into the crash was ongoing.
