Fatal crash after trooper's maneuver ends car chase with suspected drunk driver

A suspected intoxicated driver lost his life early Saturday morning in a car crash following an attempt by a Missouri Highway Patrol officer to halt the driver's attempt to flee. The incident occurred at 1:21 a.m. on northbound Interstate 35, south of Brighton Avenue, as detailed in a news release from the Missouri Highway Patrol. An intervention technique known as Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI) was deployed by the trooper to safely end the pursuit and minimize the risk to public safety. This technique typically involves the law enforcement vehicle intentionally making contact with the rear of the fleeing vehicle, enabling the officer's vehicle to maintain control while causing the fleeing vehicle to lose control and potentially halting the chase. The driver, in a silver Chevrolet Tahoe, veered off the right side of the interstate, collided with a ditch, and overturned, resulting in the driver being ejected from the vehicle and fatally injured at the scene. The driver's identity is not expected to be disclosed until at least Sunday. The incident occurred within a minute of the start of the chase, initiated after the trooper observed the Tahoe driver failing to stay within a single lane while heading north on I-35 south of Brighton Avenue. The driver also came close to hitting the guardrail multiple times before the trooper made attempts to pull over the driver. Since the driver passed away in the crash, the incident is under investigation as a use of force occurrence by the patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control, with the involved trooper placed on administrative leave during the inquiry. Moreover, the Patrol's Major Crash Investigation Unit is conducting a reconstruction of the event. Findings from these investigations will be forwarded to the Clay County Prosecutor's Office to determine potential charges. If you have any pertinent information regarding a crime, you can contact your local police department directly. For anonymous tips, reach out to the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477), submit tips online, or use the free P3Tips mobile app. Additional information on annual homicide statistics in the Kansas City region can be accessed through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, initiated in 2015. Please review the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy for more details.