KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri State Highway Patrol says a police pursuit from Iowa led to a crash early Sunday morning that left three people dead — including two teens from Kearney, Missouri.
According to troopers, a Fremont County, Iowa, sheriff’s deputy driving a Chevrolet Tahoe was in pursuit of a 2023 Kia Sorento for a "criminal violation" around 7:20 a.m. Sunday.
The Iowa State Patrol said the vehicle was tied to an incident in Hamburg, Iowa.
Fremont County reported a woman dropped off at Grape Community Hospital said she had experienced domestic assault after she and her 1-year-old child were kidnapped in Nebraska by a male acquaintance.
The man then allegedly fled Nebraska law enforcement into Iowa.
The woman told deputies the man left the hospital with her child in the Kia. She also said he was suicidal and homicidal, per Fremont County.
When Fremont County informed the Iowa State Patrol of the situation, troopers headed toward the intersection of Highway 2 and Interstate 29.
Around 7:14 a.m., troopers located the Kia, which had no plates, and attempted to initiate a traffic stop.
The Kia failed to stop and a pursuit ensued.
After doing a U-turn over a cement divider, the Kia was boxed in by troopers. Still, it escaped and began heading southbound on I-29 in the northbound lanes.
Iowa State Patrol troopers drove parallel to the suspect, southbound in the southbound lanes.
Fremont County deputies attempted to intercept the pursuit near mile marker 5.
After the suspect attempted to strike the deputies, one turned around and began following the suspect southbound in the northbound lanes with emergency lights activated, per Fremont County.
Iowa State Patrol troopers terminated their pursuit at the state line while Fremont County continued.
Fremont County said Missouri authorities were contacted when the chase crossed over.
Just about one mile into Missouri — at mile marker 123 on I-29, north of Watson — the Kia smashed the front of a 2013 Ford Focus that was driving northbound on I-29.
The collision sent the Ford Focus off the roadway and it overturned, ejecting a passenger in the car.
A third vehicle, a Volvo semi-tractor, swerved to avoid hitting the Ford and Kia and slid off the roadway into the interstate median.
After striking the Ford, the Kia also left the roadway where it struck a bridge abutment and caught fire.
MSHP troopers said three 18-year-olds — all from Kearney, Missouri — were in the Ford Focus at the time of the crash. A male and female in the Ford were pronounced deceased at the scene. The third person in the Ford, a female, was taken by medical helicopter to a hospital in Omaha.
The driver of the Kia, a 29-year-old man from Bellevue, Nebraska, was also pronounced dead at the scene.
Freemont County said the deputy saved a 1-year-old from the burning Kia. The baby was airlifted to a hospital in Omaha with non-life-threatening injuries.
The sheriff’s deputy, who was struck by the semi, was treated and released from an Iowa hospital.
The driver of the Volvo semi-tractor was not seriously hurt.
In a Facebook post Monday morning, Kearney Mayor Randy Pogue offered his condolences to the Cunningham and Yeates families.
“The loss of two Kearney Bulldogs in the traffic accident yesterday up north has shaken our community,” Pogue wrote. “May courage and hope be the steadfast companions of both families, friends and all who mourn.”
The Kearney School District also offered its condolences to the friends and family of the victims.
"Three of the individuals involved in this wreck graduated from KHS as members of the Class of 2024. The Kearney High School team is aware of this tragic event, and the counselors are providing additional guidance and support as needed," a district spokesperson shared.
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