Baby delivered after pregnant woman killed in Overland Park car crash

A pregnant woman injured Sunday night in an Overland Park car wreck died at a hospital after medical staff delivered her baby, police said.

The woman, identified as 25-year-old Denise Lopez of Kansas City, Kan., was 39 weeks pregnant, police said.

Shortly before the crash, a Prairie Village police officer tried to pull over a car at 75th Street and Lamar Avenue. The car started to slow then sped away.

Seconds later, the car ran a red light and struck the vehicle Lopez was in, police said.

Prosecutors on Monday charged 21-year-old Raphael E. Sherman of Overland Park with involuntary manslaughter. They also charged Sherman with two counts of aggravated battery for injuries two other people sustained in the crash.

Lopez was riding with another person in a silver Chevrolet truck when the car traveling west on 75th Street ran a red light and struck their truck at the intersection with Metcalf Avenue, police said. The impact pushed the vehicles into the southbound lanes of Metcalf, where they collided with a minivan carrying five people.

Six people were taken to hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to critical, police said.

Lopez’s baby was doing well Sunday night, police said.

Police arrested Sherman shortly after the crash. His bond was set at $250,000. He is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday afternoon.

This story was originally published January 11, 2016 at 8:18 AM.