KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two individuals lost their lives in a tragic collision on northbound Interstate 435, according to the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department. The police believe the crash is linked to a series of armed robberies that occurred overnight.
The fatal collision involved two drivers, one of whom was suspected of fleeing from the police. Both drivers were killed in the head-on crash. The incident led to the closure of I-435 at 210 Highway for several hours as accident investigators worked through the aftermath.
At 2:34 a.m., officers responded to an armed robbery call at a convenience store on NE Barry Road. The victim reported that an unknown male suspect entered the store with a weapon and demanded money. Another armed robbery occurred around 3:25 a.m. at a gas station on NW 64th Street, where the suspect fired a shot but fortunately, no one was injured.
A third armed robbery was reported at a Pilot Gas Station near 8801 Birmingham Road. The suspect and a black Dodge Challenger were connected to all three incidents. Police initiated a pursuit of the suspect, who drove in the wrong direction on I-435, resulting in the fatal collision with a Chevrolet Equinox near 210 Highway.
The drivers of both vehicles were pronounced dead at the scene. The pursuit was terminated when the suspect’s vehicle began driving the wrong way on the interstate. All lanes of I-435 were re-opened nearly five hours after the crash. The Police Department stated that the investigation remains ongoing and identified these as the first and second traffic deaths of 2024 in Kansas City.