Driver in Missouri police chase was on probation in fatal Arrowhead hit-and-run
A man who received probation in two separate hit-and-run crashes — including a 2021 wreck that killed a Chiefs fan outside Arrowhead Stadium — now faces new charges after his passengers allegedly fired at a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper during a police chase.
He also faces the possibility that judges in Clay and Jackson County will revoke his probation.
Clay County prosecutors have charged Thomas J. Weyer, 23, of Kansas City, with first-degree assault of a law enforcement officer, unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated fleeing from a law enforcement officer, and two counts of armed criminal action.
The charges stem from a police chase on Nov. 16 that began in Liberty, Clay County, and continued south on Interstate 35 through downtown Kansas City before ending near Cleveland Avenue and East 41st Street.
Four people, two men, a woman and a 16-year-old, fled from the vehicle. Police arrested three of them shortly after the chase. The fourth person, Weyer, was found in a storm drain tunnel hours later.
The gunfire didn’t strike anyone, but it did hit a trooper’s vehicle; pictures shared by the Missouri State Highway Patrol showed bullet holes in the patrol car.
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Prosecutors have also charged 18-year-old Kaden A Clark, of Pleasant Valley, and 19-year-old Khia N. Harris, of Excelsior Springs, each with first-degree assault of a law enforcement officer, unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of armed criminal action.
The teen was remanded to juvenile authorities for possible charges, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Clay County Circuit Court does not release information about juvenile cases.
Gunfire strikes trooper’s patrol car during chase
According to court documents, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper was at a truck parking/rest area on southbound Interstate 35 south of Kearney shortly before 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 16 when he saw a passenger car speed past on the highway.
The trooper activated his radar and checked the car’s speed at 100 mph. The trooper entered the highway to pull the vehicle over, and as he began to overtake it, the vehicle’s speed increased to 115 mph.
The trooper activated his emergency lights, and the vehicle, identified as a gray 2010 Nissan Altima with no license plates, sped away. The trooper advised that the car was not stopping and that he was in pursuit.
The trooper chased the vehicle south on I-35, and as they neared Pleasant Valley Road, a passenger leaned out of the car and allegedly fired shots at the trooper.
The trooper continued to pursue the Altima south on I-35, and people inside the vehicle allegedly fired shots at him intermittently. At one point, the trooper observed a green laser coming from a firearm being fired.
The car exited onto Northeast Chouteau Trafficway, traveled on multiple city streets, and then headed south on Interstate 29. The chase eventually crossed the Missouri River into Jackson County and continued east on Interstate 70.
As the car exited onto 18th Street, more shots were fired at the trooper, striking the patrol car. The pursuit continued, and shots were fired at Kansas City police officers near East 17th Street and Jackson Avenue.
The chase ended after the Altima reached a dead-end on Mersington Avenue, south of East 40th Street. Four people fled from the car into a wooded area between Mersington and Cleveland avenues.
Authorities arrested Clark, Harris and the teen after a short search of the area. Weyer was arrested about 4 a.m. Nov. 17 after being found in a storm drain tunnel.
Investigators allegedly found three handguns, one equipped with a green laser and the other two with purple lasers, in the woods near where the suspects were arrested. They also found spent shell casings, ammunition and an extended magazine, according to court records.
During an interview, Clark allegedly told investigators that the teen fired an unknown number of times during the chase. Clark also allegedly told police that he and Harris had both fired shots, too.
Clark, Harris, and Weyer, who are being held in the Clay County Detention Center, have entered not guilty pleas.
Prosecutors seek to revoke probation
Weyer is currently on probation in two separate hit-and-run cases, including one that killed 66-year-old Steven Hickle of Wichita outside a Chiefs game in October 2021.
Hickle and his wife, Laurie, were avid Chiefs fans and longtime season ticket holders. They had left the stadium during a rain delay, and Hickle was struck by three cars as he attempted to cross Blue Ridge Boulevard near Gate 2 of the stadium.
According to court records, Weyer pleaded guilty in July 2024 in Jackson County Circuit Court to fleeing the scene of a fatal crash, a felony. A judge sentenced Weyer to four years in prison, but suspended the sentence and placed Weyer on probation for five years.
The sentence was to run concurrently with a Clay County case where Weyer pleaded guilty in December 2023 to leaving the scene of a crash in October 2022. A judge sentenced Weyer to three years in prison, but suspended the sentence and placed Weyer on probation for five years, according to court documents.
Prosecutors in both Jackson and Clay counties have filed motions seeking to revoke Weyer’s probation.
