47-year-old man identified as motorist killed in Independence police chase
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Police identify Daniel Sanchez, 47, killed when fleeing driver struck his vehicle.
- Officers pursued gray Ford F-250; driver ran red light and hit three vehicles
- Victim died; two passengers suffered critical injuries; suspect remained at large.
Kansas City police have identified the motorist who was killed in a crash by a vehicle fleeing from Independence police on New Year’s Eve as Daniel Sanchez.
According to police, officers were pursuing a gray Ford F-250 for multiple traffic violations around 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday at Blue Ridge Boulevard and Wilson Road in the Sheffield neighborhood.
The fleeing driver, sped west on 9th Street, towards Benton Boulevard, and then failed to stop for a red traffic signal. The driver then struck a blue pick-up and collided with a car driven by Sanchez, police said.
Sanchez, 47, was taken to a hospital, where he died the following morning. Two passengers in the vehicle with Sanchez were also taken to the hospital with critical injuries, police said.
After colliding with Sanchez’s vehicle, the driver allegedly continued to elude police and struck a recreational vehicle parked on private property. The driver then got out of the wrecked vehicle and fled on foot, police said.
No arrest has been made and the driver remained at large on Monday.
Capt. Jacob Becchina, a police spokesman, said Monday the crash remains under investigation and no other details were immediately available. The pickup had been reported stolen.
A 2024 Kansas City Star investigation found that Independence police chase more than other police force in the area, including KCPD.
The study also found that in 2022, over 1,200 police chases took place in the Kansas City metro, resulting in over 150 crashes and 51 injuries. Independence police accounted for 33% of those injuries.
This story was originally published January 5, 2026 at 4:45 PM.
