CRASH ON I-435 IN PLATTE COUNTY
Two people were killed Friday, March 17 in a two-car crash in which their vehicle was traveling in reverse in a lane of Interstate 435 in Platte County.
The crash occurred on I-435 at 5 p.m., not far from the bridge that connects Platte County and Kansas City, Kan. Both vehicles involved in the crash were traveling southbound.
Killed were Karin J. Breen, 57, of Kansas City, the driver of a 2002 Mazda Protégé, and her passenger, Studd F. Leach, 46, of Manhattan, Kan.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, Breen’s vehicle was traveling in reverse in a southbound lane of the interstate when it was struck in the rear by a 2015 Nissan Sentra. Driver of the Sentra was Samantha M. Hemke, 22, of Lenexa, Kan.
Both Breen and Leach were pronounced dead at the scene at 5:23 p.m. by a Northland Regional Ambulance District (NRAD) paramedic. According to the report, Breen was not wearing a safety belt. Her passenger was wearing a seat belt, according to the report.
Hemke, who was wearing a seat belt, suffered only minor injuries and was taken by NRAD to KU Medical Center. Both vehicles were totaled.
The crash forced the closure of southbound I-435 for several hours. Northbound lanes remained open. Southbound vehicles stuck in traffic behind the crash were eventually guided by officers to use the emergency crossover lane and head northbound on I-435 to find an alternate route to their destination.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Platte County Sheriff’s Department and the Parkville Police Department.
The traffic fatalities are the 10th and 11th of 2023 in the Highway Patrol’s Troop A division, which covers 13 counties.
