Motorist killed in wreck when his car severed a light pole and hit a concrete pillar

Update: The victim of the crash was identified by police on Wednesday as 25-year-old Johnathon Rains of Independence.

One man is dead after his vehicle struck a pole, a concrete pillar and an embankment near the intersection of 23rd Street and Blue Ridge Boulevard in Kansas City Monday evening.

Kansas City police officers closed off 23rd Street to traffic while they investigated the 7 p.m. crash.

Police said the driver lost control of the Chrysler Sebring he was driving. The man’s vehicle crossed the median, both lanes of westbound 23rd Street, and went off onto the grassy embankment. The car struck a street light and sheared off the pole at the base and then struck a concrete pillar at Blue Ridge Boulevard.

The street light pole fell on top of the car, police said.

Only one vehicle was involved in the crash. The man was alone in the vehicle when it crashed into the bridge and no other motorists were injured.

Reporter Kaitlyn Schwers contributed to this report.

This story was originally published April 2, 2019 at 12:13 AM.