A police chase in Kansas City ended in a three-car crash Thursday as police pursued and arrested two people suspected of armed robbery and kidnapping.
Officers attempted to pull over a black VW Jetta around US Hwy 40 and Blue Ridge Cutoff Thursday afternoon, said Officer Alayna Gonzalez, spokesperson for the Kansas City Police Department. When the driver of the Jetta failed to stop, officers followed the car into the southbound lanes of Interstate 29, Gonzalez said.
According to Gonzalez, the southbound lanes of I-29 were stopped by traffic during the pursuit. The Jetta failed to brake for the stopped cars and struck a black Dodge Journey and a blue Hyundai Santa Fe before coming to a stop, Gonzalez said.
The impact of the crash caused the Santa Fe to land sideways on the driver’s side door, Gonzalez said.
After the driver and passenger in the Jetta were taken into police custody, both suspects, along with the drivers of the Journey and Santa Fe, were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
On average, more than three police chases occur every day in the Kansas City metro area, a Star investigation found earlier this year. Police pursuits often escalate to speeds of more than 100 miles per hour, sometimes even up to 130 miles per hour, the study found.
More than 320 people have been injured in police pursuits in the metro area over the past five years, according to the Star investigation.
