Two people dead after police chase ends in wrong-way crash on I-435 in KC’s Northland
Two people died after a car involved in a police chase headed the wrong way on Northbound Interstate 435 and crashed head-on into another vehicle early Tuesday near Missouri 210 highway in Kansas City’s Northland, a police spokeswoman said.
Police had been in pursuit of a person suspected of being involved in three armed robberies of Northland convenience stores, said Officer Alayna Gonzalez with the Kansas City Police Department.
“Police terminated the pursuit when the driver decided to drive into oncoming lanes of traffic,” Gonzalez said. “The pursuit was terminated prior to an accident occurring.”
The suspect, who was driving a black Dodge Challenger, as well as the driver of the other vehicle, a Chevrolet Equinox crossover SUV, died in the crash that occurred about 4:30 a.m.
Northbound I-435 was shut down at Front Street while police investigated. It reopened several hours later.
“ALL LANES NOW OPEN,” the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Kansas City District said in a post at 9:48 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
While the highway was closed, KC Scout Traffic cameras showed northbound I-435 traffic slowing near East 23rd Street Trafficway and at a near standstill near East Truman Road. KC Scout urged drivers to find an alternate route.
The string of robberies began shortly after 2:30 a.m. Police responded to the Phillips 66 Minit Mart at 9901 NE Barry Road in Kansas City, North, on a reported armed robbery. The victim told arriving officers that an unknown male entered the store armed with a weapon and demanded money, Gonzalez said.
About an hour later, police responded to a panic alarm at the Shell gas station at 5401 NW 64th Street in Kansas City, North. The victim told officers that a male assailant robbed the convenience store at gunpoint, Gonzalez said.
Shortly after 4:10 a.m., officers responded to a reported armed robbery at the Pilot Travel Center at 8801 NE Birmingham Road in Kansas City, North. Arriving officers contacted the victim, who said he had been robbed at gunpoint by a unknown male assailant, Gonzalez said.
Police were able to identify a possible vehicle and person of interest involved in each of the robberies. Officers located the Dodge Challenger and a pursuit ensued. Then, the driver headed south in the northbound lanes of I-435 and crashed into the crossover SUV near Missouri 210 highway.
Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene. They are the first and second traffic fatalities of the year.
This story was originally published January 2, 2024 at 7:12 AM.
