Fatality on I-435 before Chiefs Game

[gblowfish]

I heard Andy mention this in his press conference but hadn't seen any news about it. Apparently the wreck was caused by a cop. Man, and I'm sure the backup trying to get into the stadium from Johnson County was a mess. Story is here:

https://www.kansascity.com/news/loca...220422195.html

KCPD spokesman Capt. Lionel Colón describes a fatal crash involving a police vehicle on Interstate 435 ahead of Sunday night's Chiefs football game. One person died. Two were critically injured. The officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

By Joe Robertson

A fatal crash that blocked Chiefs game traffic on Interstate 435 Sunday afternoon started when an off-duty Kansas City police officer in a department van rear-ended another vehicle, police said.

“This is a tough one,” Kansas City police Capt. Lionel Colón said Sunday night, as he spoke about the multi-vehicle crash that left one person dead, two critically injured and the officer hospitalized with injuries that were not thought to be life-threatening.

“We hurt with you,” he said, speaking to families of the victims of the crash.

The crash happened shortly after 4 p.m. in the northbound lanes of I-435 just south of Stadium Drive.

Colón said the police van rear-ended a vehicle and then two other vehicles were also involved in the crash.

Traffic was quickly reduced to one lane, and then was completely shut down by 5 p.m. Traffic backed up for some three miles as Kansas City police crash specialists investigated the scene.

Colón said Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith “is shaken” to hear that an officer has been involved in a fatal crash. “We all are,” Colón said.

Late Sunday night, police released more details of the crash. The police van, a blue Ford E350, came upon slow traffic that was lining up on the way to Arrowhead Stadium. The van ran into the rear of a Maroon Mitsubishi Lancer, knocking it into a white Ford Edge, which was forced into a black Chevy Suburban.

The police van hit both the Mitsubishi and the Ford Edge before coming to rest to the north of all three other vehicles in the crash.

The driver of the Mitsubishi was pronounced dead at the scene. Two passengers in the front and rear of the car were hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. No one in the Ford Edge or the Suburban were seriously injured.

The name of the person killed in the crash had not yet been released Sunday night.

There was no indication in the preliminary investigation of the scene that any of the drivers in the crash were impaired.

The off-duty officer was on the way to Arrowhead Stadium, Colón said, but it was not known if he was going to work at the game or going as a spectator.

Many police staff are on-call and will use police vehicles while off-duty so that they can quickly respond if they are called into action, he said.

The highway remained shut down for most of three hours leading up to the game, which kicked off at 7:20 p.m. at Arrowhead.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by sedated

Maybe I'm becoming cynical in my old(er) age, but drivers are paying less and less attention and I blame cell phones.

I try to never use mine while driving but rarely ride with anyone who isn't playing a song, looking at GPS, or texting/talking. Meanwhile every time I'm on the highway it feels like I spend the whole time avoiding people who are going dangerously slow, swerving into occupied lanes, or just acting like someone who has no clue what is going on around them. There is an accident EVERY DAY during my commute, and 5+ years ago that seemed to be limited to once or twice a week.

It's not you being cynical, it's the truth. It never fails, if I'm behind someone swerving, not maintaining speed, randomly braking for no apparent reason, they are ALWAYS ****ing with their phones. And besides the obvious danger involved, it plain makes me nervous following them because I know they're not paying attention.

And they're getting less selective about when and where they do it, rush hour on the freeway? Gotta get this text out! Pouring rain? Doesn't matter, this call is important! Hell we were following a semi truck on I-80 in western NE last weekend that kept creeping off the side of the road. When we finally passed him I looked up in his window and sure enough, he was looking down to his side. ARE YOU ****ING KIDDING ME, YOU'RE IN A ****ING 18 WHEELER. I should have had my phone ready and snapped a pic and sent it to the trucking company.

Shit is completely out of control.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/kc...ice/ar-BBPv62x

Speed blamed but 50-70 isn't a speed problem; it's an attention to the road problem. Driver of the van didn't get a statement (something tells me the police on the scene didn't press for one).

No evidence of alcohol - frankly that doesn't surprise me. I was never of the mind that the guy was out there driving hammered in a police van for an off-duty gig. It doesn't take much to presume that he was smarter than that.

But I'd damn sure like to know what he was doing. He clearly wasn't paying attention and the key question is why?

One thing I haven't seen addressed is whether they checked his phone or phone records. Seems to me that should be the first thing they looked at. Not that we could count on them being honest about it.

Someone mentioned you being a lawyer, so perhaps you would know if it's possible for the family's lawyer or anyone else to subpoena his phone and records?

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by baitism

Yeah, I had another student from that year that emailed me about it Sunday Night. It was tough. I had talked to him at Roe Park about a month before.

My condolences, I know it isn't family, but still a loss.

Originally Posted by sedated

Maybe I'm becoming cynical in my old(er) age, but drivers are paying less and less attention and I blame cell phones.

I try to never use mine while driving but rarely ride with anyone who isn't playing a song, looking at GPS, or texting/talking. Meanwhile every time I'm on the highway it feels like I spend the whole time avoiding people who are going dangerously slow, swerving into occupied lanes, or just acting like someone who has no clue what is going on around them. There is an accident EVERY DAY during my commute, and 5+ years ago that seemed to be limited to once or twice a week.

True. I had a young lady making a left turn while texting yesterday pull right in front of me. Glad I was paying attention, it was unbelievable.

[bowener]

Originally Posted by sedated

Maybe I'm becoming cynical in my old(er) age, but drivers are paying less and less attention and I blame cell phones.

I try to never use mine while driving but rarely ride with anyone who isn't playing a song, looking at GPS, or texting/talking. Meanwhile every time I'm on the highway it feels like I spend the whole time avoiding people who are going dangerously slow, swerving into occupied lanes, or just acting like someone who has no clue what is going on around them. There is an accident EVERY DAY during my commute, and 5+ years ago that seemed to be limited to once or twice a week.

With cops, it's not just their cell phones either. They are constantly on their laptops. I get that it might be pertinent to their job, but it doesn't make it any more responsible. Hell, the other day I watched a cop driving down a busy city street with a cell phone up to his ear with his left hand, and his right hand was typing away on his laptop. Use speakerphone, dick head.

[cooper barrett]

Originally Posted by bowener

With cops, it's not just their cell phones either. They are constantly on their laptops. I get that it might be pertinent to their job, but it doesn't make it any more responsible. Hell, the other day I watched a cop driving down a busy city street with a cell phone up to his ear with his left hand, and his right hand was typing away on his laptop. Use speakerphone, dick head.

They are highly trained professionals who... **** it, they are idiots when it comes to anything but the power of their jobs.

If you saw an Comcast driver doing the same thing you would be making calls and screaming bloody hell.

See the cop burn up his chase car in the "fails" thread? Idiots

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

One thing I haven't seen addressed is whether they checked his phone or phone records. Seems to me that should be the first thing they looked at. Not that we could count on them being honest about it.

Someone mentioned you being a lawyer, so perhaps you would know if it's possible for the family's lawyer or anyone else to subpoena his phone and records?

Generally yes, those would be absolutely discoverable. There are always complications suing the police due to some immunity issues, but I don't see those being insurmountable.

If he was on his phone, it'll get out.

[Flying High D]

Highway Patrol are the elite and they start off at $42,000 a year. Police and sheriff deputies are much less than that. I don’t think they are getting to many scholars.

[cooper barrett]

Originally Posted by Flying High D

Highway Patrol are the elite and they start off at $42,000 a year. Police and sheriff deputies are much less than that. I don’t think they are getting to many scholars.

I say BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KCMO:
Base pay, no experience or college ...Annual $43,404



http://kcmo.gov/police/careers-emplo...y-information/

OPKS same money

Entry-level police officers earn $3,590 per month. Officers can earn up to $6,287 per month after 12 years in the salary step plan, and salary for lateral entry is considered based on previous experience. Overland Park offers health and dental insurance and defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans

KS HIPO wages $42806 based on 40 hour weeks..

[DenverChief]

**** Tha Police! Am I doing it rite?

[Flying High D]

Originally Posted by cooper barrett

I say BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KCMO:
Base pay, no experience or college ...Annual $43,404



http://kcmo.gov/police/careers-emplo...y-information/

OPKS same money


KS HIPO wages $42806 based on 40 hour weeks..

Big Gold.

[cooper barrett]

Originally Posted by Flying High D

Big Gold.

FOS U R

[TribalElder]

don't they usually just murder people and then get suspended with pay?

also, anyone know what ever happened to this guy


he probably got suspended with pay

[cooper barrett]

I used to live close to there. Peculiar cops were worthless, they pulled anything over that moved past 9pm. Driving home from the local bar was a horror story.

I'd say he foumd work elsewhere... http://www.cityofpeculiar.com/pview....d=7202&catID=0

Originally Posted by TribalElder

don't they usually just murder people and then get suspended with pay?

also, anyone know what ever happened to this guy


he probably got suspended with pay

[TribalElder]

I remember the long version of the video showed a bunch of other cops showing up offering to straighten the handlebars and give him a band aid

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by DenverChief

**** Tha Police! Am I doing it rite?

FTR, I'm not that guy by any means. But they need to be subject to the same laws as they enforce and face the same consequences when they violate them as the general public does.