4 hurt, 2 critical, after police chase tied to Independence Walmart ends in crash
Four innocent bystanders were hurt, two with life-threatening injuries, when an SUV being chased by Independence police plowed into their vehicle late Saturday afternoon, a police spokesman said.
The crash, the latest in severe-injury or deadly collision involving Independence police, occurred about 4:40 p.m. at the intersection of South Lee’s Summit and East Truman roads, Sgt. Jeff Buck of the Independence Police Department’s crash investigation unit said.
The driver of a 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe was headed north on Lee’s Summit Road while fleeing police. As the SUV approached the intersection, the driver drove into oncoming southbound lanes, Buck said.
Meanwhile, a 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander was headed east on Truman Road. As the Tahoe entered the intersection, it collided with the Outlander, causing it to overturn, Buck said.
All four occupants inside the Outlander were injured, including two passengers who had life-threatening injuries, Buck said.
The driver of the Tahoe ran from the crash, and was arrested nearby in the 1400 block of South Baker Drive. The Tahoe’s passenger was arrested at the vehicle. Police did not say whether either had been injured in the crash.
Chase involved ‘suspicious activity’ at Walmart Supercenter
The chase stemmed from a “suspicious activity” call reported at the Walmart Supercenter at 4000 S. Bolger Drive, which is near Interstate 70 and Interstate 470, Buck said.
Two officers observed two people in the store, but before contacting them, they left the store and got into the Tahoe, Buck said. Police had yet to learn the identity of the two people. The officers then attempted to stop the Tahoe as it left near East 39th Street and Bolger when the license plate did not come back as registered to the Tahoe.
The driver failed to pull over and police initiated the pursuit on 39th Street at S. Crackerneck Road as the driver continued westbound. The officers then self-terminated the pursuit at Bryant Drive. The Tahoe continue west and appeared to turn northbound on South Phelps Road. The officers then lost sight of the vehicle.
Other officers then found the Tahoe headed north on Lee’s Summit Road at the intersection of East 23rd Street, Buck said. The officers tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver sped away again. The Tahoe continue north to where it crashed at Truman Road.
Without further review, Buck said he couldn’t positively identify the speeds the chase involved. A download from the vehicle’s airbag control module indicated that the Tahoe was going 40 mph.
Chase policy under review
The crash comes after Independence city officials said they were considering changes to their law enforcement vehicle pursuit policy after years of deadly crashes and questions about how police choose to chase at high speeds.
In January, city officials announced that the agency was implementing a phased plan to overhaul its vehicle and foot pursuit policies. A risk assessment audit conducted last summer found that officers frequently initiated high-speed pursuits, some reaching speeds up to 130 mph, for minor traffic or equipment violations in residential areas.
A 2024 investigation by The Star found that Independence led the metro in high-speed pursuits, conducting 330 chases in 2022 alone. Kansas City, which has four times the population, conducted 98 in 2022.
Of the more than 1,200 police chases that took place across the Kansas City metro area in 2022, 150 ended in crashes with 51 injuries. Independence accounted for 33% of those injuries.
For years, the Independence Police Department has defended its pursuit policy, saying it was “good” and didn’t require change.
The new plan is to be phased in stages, taking 90 days to 18 months for full implementation.
The changes came following the death of Daniel Sanchez 47, who was killed when a fleeing vehicle pursued by Independence officers into Kansas City collided with his car on New Year’s Eve. Two passengers were also critically injured.
At the time, Independence officers were chasing a gray Ford F-250 for multiple traffic violations. The driver failed to stop at a red light, struck a blue pickup, and then collided with Sanchez’s car.
The Star’s Ben Wheeler provided information to this story.
This story was originally published May 17, 2026 at 10:58 AM.
