Charges filed against 2 who fired at Independence police during high-speed chase
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Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson on Monday announced numerous charges filed against a Kansas City man and woman who authorities say fled from police and fired at officers during a high-speed chase last week.
Savannah Landers is charged with aggravated fleeing a stop or detention, first-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance, according to the Aug. 29 criminal complaint.
Cyvauodis D. Brewer is charged with first-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon, aggravated fleeing a stop of detention and possession of a controlled substance.
According to the probable cause statement filed with the charges, an Independence police officer tried to stop a Ford Escape traveling northbound near Sterling and Lexington avenues in Sugar Creek around 11:11 p.m. on Thursday. The Escape was going about 40 mph in a 25 mph zone, the statement said.
When the driver failed to stop, the officer initiated a pursuit, it said.
“The vehicle fled, reaching speeds up to 97 miles per hour and driving into oncoming traffic on Truman Road,” according to the Monday news release from the prosecutor’s office. “During the chase, the passenger of the vehicle fired shots from the vehicle toward the pursuing officer.”
The shots were fired near the intersection of Truman Road and Northern Avenue, the probable cause statement said, with additional gunfire reported near Truman Road and Blue Ridge Boulevard and Truman Road and Belmont Avenue.
“Responding officers later recovered multiple 9mm shell casings from each of these locations,” the statement said.
The driver of the Escape was later identified as Landers, and the passenger was identified as Brewer.
The chase ended when the Escape hit a curb and was disabled. Landers tried to flee but was taken into custody, the prosecutor’s release said. Officers recovered two handguns, methamphetamine and fentanyl, according to the probable cause statement.
“During an interview with detectives, Brewer admitted to firing shots into the air, however, investigators found multiple bullet strikes on the back of the Ford Escape,” the prosecutor’s release said.
Brewer has a prior felony record that includes a January 2014 conviction in Clay County Circuit Court for forgery and a May 2022 conviction in Jackson County Circuit Court for tampering with a motor vehicle. The convictions prohibited him from possessing firearms.
Both Landers and Brewer are being held on $500,000 cash bond.
This story was originally published September 1, 2025 at 11:19 AM.
