Man charged in car crash death of Good Samaritan Olathe teen
More than a year after Olathe teen Benjamin Van Buskirk was killed trying to help a crash victim, a man has been charged with two felonies in Johnson County court.
Matthew Thomas Bray, 49, has been charged with aggravated battery while driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident involving great bodily harm.
Bray is being held on a $25,000 bond.
Just before 2 a.m. on July 27, Van Buskirk, 17, was hit by a Jeep Liberty after he made a friend stop a car on I-35, just north of Johnson Drive in Merriam. A Chevrolet Equinox was stalled in the left lane of traffic, according to Kansas Highway Patrol. A Honda CR-V stopped on the right shoulder and Van Buskirk exited to help the driver of the Equinox.
A Jeep Liberty traveling south then hit the Equinox and drifted across the road, running into Van Buskirk, according to KHP. Van Buskirk was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Bray’s next hearing is scheduled for August 27.
After his death, Van Buskirk’s father told The Star that the teen loved animals, jokes and the Philadelphia Eagles, and remembered him as a “shining light on Earth” who loved rescuing animals and serving as a positive force for his family.
The Star’s Kendrick Calfee contributed reporting.
This story was originally published August 21, 2025 at 3:16 PM.
