A motorcyclist was killed in a crash on Interstate 635 at Metropolitan Avenue late Friday morning.
KCK police said around 10:45 a.m. two officers were doing traffic enforcement in the area when they clocked a Dodge Durango charging up I-635 at 105 mph.
“When they were going to stop that vehicle, officers could hear the motorcycle approaching them at a high rate of speed,” Officer Cameron Morgan, a KCKPD spokesperson, said.
He adds the motorcyclist was going more than 100 mph and flew past officers.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol crash report, the 2008 Honda motorcycle driver, Stephen L. Bean, was in the middle lane traveling at a high rate of speed, and the Ford Ranger driven by 26-year-old Ryan W. McNeal from Lawson, Missouri, was in the left lane. The motorcycle made a lane change to avoid slower traffic when it struck the rear of the pickup truck. After impact, the motorcycle went to the inside shoulder and struck the barrier wall, and Bean was ejected.
“It is very dangerous to drive a bike or a car at this type of speed,” Morgan said.
Officers attempted CPR on Bean but he died at the scene. Bean was wearing a helmet with a face shield.
Traffic backup leads to second crash
The crash investigation led to a massive back up all the way to I-35.
There was at least one secondary wreck as motorists tried to get out of the long traffic jam, officials said. A motorist lost control while stopping for traffic and struck another vehicle, causing that vehicle to roll.
The highway reopened at 3:30 p.m.
This fatal wreck hits home for Darold Evans. He's been riding for five years.
“Cars will just cut you off, they'll jump right of you, they’ll slow down, you just gotta be careful,” Evans said.
Two motorcycle deaths just hours apart
This death on I-635 is the second one of its kind Friday. Across the state line at 2:51 a.m., a motorcyclist going east on I-70 lost control at the Jackson curve. KCPD said the rider struck a concrete barrier, was ejected and landed 35 feet below.
“When you get out here, it's a whole different game,” Evans said.
Police echo the message of safety going into the holiday weekend.
“There's going to be a lot of people from out of town and they might not be familiar with those exits and might try to hurry up and catch their exits, just slow down and be mindful of everyone on the road,” Morgan said.
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Andres Gutierrez can be reached at andres.gutierrez@kshb.com
