KANSAS CITY, Mo. — This Thanksgiving two families are mourning the loss of their loved ones who were killed in a wrong-way crash.
According to KCPD, a man in a black Honda Pilot was speeding northbound in the southbound lanes of I-29 before 1 a.m. Thursday. Just north of Barry Road, he hit a Honda CR-V carrying a man and a woman.
After the head-on collision, the Pilot rotated off the roadway to the west side of I-29 and down the embankment. The CR-V flipped onto its top.
The couple died at the scene. They were identified as Nelson Guzman and Norma Erazo.
Paramedics took the wrong-way driver to the hospital. Late Thursday, police said he’s expected to survive his injuries.
Police are investigating whether alcohol was a factor. They’re awaiting blood test results.
“Most people know that it's dangerous. If they don't know that it's dangerous, at least know that it's illegal, so there's no reason for it,” Missouri Highway Patrol Corporal Chad Kutzner said.
He added a quarter of the deaths linked to drunk driving occur between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“That number seems to stay somewhat consistent with overall fatalities compared to five or ten years ago,” Kutzner said.
That also resonates in Kansas City. According to KCPD’s annual report, alcohol was a contributing factor in 21 of the 68 traffic deaths in 2016.
“This should be a good time of year and makes the pain that much more stringent when it happens this time of year,” Kutzner said.
