Blue Springs man faces new charges in damage to Waldo mural from illegal sideshow
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Grand jury indicts 20-year-old on two felonies and a misdemeanor.
- Tire skid marks scarred Waldo mural; repair cost estimated $49,500.
- Charges stem from sideshow activity, related pursuit and later arrest.
A 20-year-old Blue Springs man was indicted for his alleged role in damaging a street mural/logo installed in Kansas City’s Waldo neighborhood, prosecutors announced.
A Jackson County grand jury last week indicted Zachary C. Talley Jr. on one count of aggravated fleeing a stop or detention and one count of first-degree property damage, both felonies.
The grand jury also charged Talley with a misdemeanor count of operating a vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner — stunt driving. The alleged crimes occurred Nov. 1.
Tire marks from the stunts destroyed the mural, with an estimated repair cost of $49,500, Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said in a post on X.
“When someone destroys the work our community poured its heart into, we will hold them accountable every time,” Johnson said.
Prosecutors had previously charged Talley in November with one count of aggravated fleeing for running from Kansas City Police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol after another sideshow stunt later the same day the mural was damaged.
If convicted, Talley faces up to 7 years in prison on the fleeing charge, up to 4 years in prison on the property damage charge, and up to 6 months in jail on the stunt driving charge.
The charges come as Kansas City has battled illegal sideshows, where vehicles spin in tight circles, often at intersections, and street racers for years.
The mural, located at the intersection of West 75th Street and Wornall Road, was part of a street project that took years to plan and almost two years to complete. City leaders celebrated the completion of the $14 million improvement on Oct. 16.
The mural featured a large “W” in red, light blue and green lettering with “Waldo KCMO” in white lettering underneath the monogram, which was overlaid on a navy blue circle with a white border. The thermoplastic logo was melted onto the concrete, in the hopes that it might last longer.
Just after midnight Nov. 1, participants in an illegal sideshow scarred the mural with tire skid marks.
Because a grand jury handed up the indictment, the court record does not include a narrative detailing the evidence investigators say links him to the damage.
However, in the earlier fleeing charge, Missouri Trooper Micah Saladrigas said in a probable cause statement that shortly after 10 p.m. on Nov. 1, multiple callers told Kansas City police an illegal sideshow was taking place, with numerous cars blocking traffic and spinning in an intersection.
As the trooper and Kansas City police officers moved into the area, cars began to disperse northbound toward Interstate 70. About 10 minutes later, callers told police that cars were now blocking the ramps to Interstate 35 at Front Street and the intersection under the I-35 overpass.
A police helicopter flew overhead and confirmed that vehicles were blocking the intersection. As police moved into the area, the cars dispersed again. The trooper witnessed multiple vehicles run the red light, including a black Dodge Challenger with a cover over its license plate.
The Dodge headed south on I-35, and the trooper pursued and tried to stop it. At the top of the entrance ramp, the Dodge allegedly rapidly accelerated, which the trooper said was an obvious attempt to flee from the traffic stop.
As the pursuit neared the I-35/I-70 split in downtown Kansas City, speeds had reached 90 mph. The Dodge then merged onto eastbound I-70 and headed toward southbound U.S. 71/Bruce R. Watkins Drive. By then, speeds exceeded 100 mph.
As speeds approached 120 mph, a police helicopter took over the pursuit, and the trooper turned off his emergency lights and siren.
The Dodge allegedly continued south on U.S. 71 at speeds over 100 mph, weaving in and out of moderate to heavy traffic. It then exited onto East 63rd Street, where the driver turned off the car’s lights and drove into oncoming lanes while going over 100 mph. No police officers were actively behind the Dodge, according to court documents.
A Kansas City police officer successfully deployed tire deflation devices at 11:05 p.m., and two people ran from the Dodge shortly after. A Kansas City police officer arrested the driver, whose name was redacted from the probable cause statement.
An Instagram account linked to the driver allegedly showed he was actively involved in sideshows on Oct. 31 at multiple locations in Kansas City. Court documents allege this was not a one-time mistake, saying the driver had been participating in sideshows for multiple months.
Talley was first charged on Nov. 2 with aggravated fleeing. He posted a $25,000 bond and was placed on house arrest. A judge modified his bond in January, removing him from house arrest, but keeping him on an ankle bracelet monitor.
