Oct 22, 2023

One dead, 5 injured after 7-vehicle Kansas crash

Posted Oct 22, 2023 12:00 PM

JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 6p.m. Saturday in Johnson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Porsche Taycan driven by Joseph M. Paris, 64, Leawood, was eastbound on Interstate 435 just east of Stateline Road.

The Porsche made a lane change into the number two lane and struck a 2023 Freightliner semi driven by Dustin M. Harder, 36, Del City, Oklahoma. After impact, the Porsche struck an eastbound 2013 Chevy Equinox driven by Joshua L. Girardi, 37, Greenwood, Missouri, and a 2023 Ford Escape driven by Shawna O'Connor, 46, Independence, Missouri, that was stopped on the inside shoulder of the highway.

The impact pushed the Chevy Equinox into a 2005 Chevy Silverado that was unoccupied on the shoulder. The semi continued toward the inside shoulder and struck a 2015 Nissan Rogue driven by Chelsea L. Shelton, 32, Olathe, and then rear-ended a 1996 Chevy pickup driven by Randal D. Hammonds, 69, Kansas City, Missouri

EMS transported Hammonds, a passenger in the Chevy pickup identified as Justin E. Witt, 39, Kansas City, Missouri, and Girardi to Overland Park Regional Medical Center where Hammonds died.

EMS transported Paris and a passenger in the Porsche Carmela L. Paris, 64, Leawood and Harder to Research Medical Center.  

O'Connor and Shelton were not injured. Hammonds, Witt and O'Connor were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.