KCPD identifies three victims after stolen car crash injures four children

KANSAS CITY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal crash involving a stolen vehicle that occurred shortly after 5 p.m. on August 13 in Kansas City and have identified the victims.

A Kia Soul driven by 16-year-old Donelle Morris of Kansas City was traveling eastbound on 35th Street at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. The Kia struck a Chevy Tahoe traveling eastbound. As the Chevy Tahoe approached Norton Street, the driver slowed to turn left and head north on Norton, according to Becchina.

The driver of the Kia had entered the westbound lanes to pass the Chevy Tahoe as it was making a turn. The vehicles collided in the westbound lanes. The Chevy Tahoe spun around and headed south on Norton.

The driver was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The Kia Soul struck a large wooden utility pole and then rolled over on its roof.

There were eight people in the Kia Soul. Morris was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger, identified as 37-year-old Reginald K. Smith of Kansas City, Missouri, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Emergency medical services took the second front-left passenger, identified as 32-year-old Myesha S. Gentry of Kansas City, Missouri, to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, according to Becchina.

A 20-year-old man was sitting in the second passenger seat on the right, with a 4-year-old child on his lap. A 6-year-old child was sitting in the middle seat in the second row. In the rear cargo area were a 12-year-old and a 13-year-old boy who did not have a child seat. All were taken to nearby hospitals with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Before the accident, an officer had stopped the Kia at the corner of 31st and Cleveland for a traffic violation.

The Kia driver stopped, but after the officer got out of his vehicle, the Kia driver sped away at high speed. The officer did not follow him. The Kia was reported as a stolen car, having been taken on August 2nd.

According to Becchina, these were the 57th, 58th and 59th traffic fatalities in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2024 overall, compared to 56 in the same period last year.