A man was left fighting for his life after a hit-and-run driver struck him and sped off near South Noland Road and East 42nd Street in Independence late Tuesday night. Police were dispatched to the scene just before 11 p.m. following reports of a person in the roadway, and officers arrived to find a male victim who required immediate life-saving measures before he was taken to a local hospital.
According to kmbc.com, the victim's age was not specified, but authorities said he suffered serious injuries and was expected to survive. The KCTV5 reported that Independence Police Department officers were dispatched to the intersection around 10:58 p.m. Tuesday after reports of an individual in the roadway, and located the man in the street before beginning emergency treatment.
Driver Located at Nearby Convenience Store
The driver who struck the man did not stay at the scene, but the investigation moved quickly. Police received a report about a possible suspect vehicle parked at a nearby convenience store, and officers located the vehicle shortly after. The driver was contacted and questioned, and KMBC reported that the driver is now cooperating with the investigation.
No arrest or citation has been confirmed, and the crash remains under active investigation by the Independence Police Department. A brief notice posted by the City of Independence places the crash around 10:58 p.m. Tuesday near the same intersection of South Noland Road and East 42nd Street.
Pattern of Pedestrian Hit-and-Runs in Independence
This is not the first time Independence has dealt with a driver fleeing after striking someone on foot. Police previously investigated a separate fatal hit-and-run involving a pedestrian that happened late on a Saturday night, according to kshb.com, which reported that crash occurred around 11:19 p.m. near North M-291 Frontage Road and 3rd Terrace Court North.
In another case, 41-year-old David Raines Jr. was killed in a hit-and-run while walking in an Independence neighborhood on the night of Saturday, May 23, according to the Kansas City Star. And in July 2024, a man riding a bicycle near Noland Road and Noland Court was struck by the driver of a Ford Edge who was pulling out of a private drive and did not stop; witnesses followed and blocked the driver's vehicle before calling 911, kmbc.com reported at the time.
Separately, a Kansas City Star investigation found that Independence police conducted more chases than any other police force in the area, with more than 320 people injured and at least nine killed in area police pursuits over a five-year period. That finding concerns police chases rather than hit-and-run crashes, but it underscores the broader scrutiny facing traffic enforcement in the city.
Tuesday night's crash remains under investigation, and no further details about the victim's identity, the vehicle involved, or any potential charges have been released.
