Former Johnson County police detective killed in motorcycle crash in Gardner
A retired Olathe police detective died in a motorcycle crash over the weekend in Johnson County, a police spokesman said.
Police identified Brian Peters of Edgerton as the person killed in the crash that occurred shortly after 11 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of West 175th Street and the ramp from Interstate 35, said Capt. Zach Roberts with the Gardner Police Department.
Peters was pronounced dead at the scene, and emergency crews took the other driver to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Roberts said. The driver was said to be cooperating with the investigation.
Roberts said he could not release details of what led up to the crash because the investigation is ongoing.
“The Olathe Police Department is deeply saddened to announce the tragic loss of retired-detective Brian Peters,” Olathe Police Chief Mike Butaud said in a statement. “Brian was an exemplary officer and an exceptional individual, and he will be profoundly missed.”
Peters retired in 2020 from a 31-year career in law enforcement, including 24 years at the Olathe Police Department. He started with the Olathe Police Department in October 1996, and over the years held several crucial roles, culminating as a detective, Butaud said.
At the time of his retirement, he was the longest tenured detective in the department’s history, according to a post announcing his retirement on the Olathe Police Department’s Facebook page.
The Kansas Highway Patrol is assisting with the investigation. Once the investigation is complete, Gardner police will forward the case to the Johnson County District Attorney’s office for review for possible charges.
