Prosecutors charge man in wrong-way crash deaths of KC newlyweds

February 19, 2018 09:23 AM

Updated February 19, 2018 01:47 PM

A Kansas City man faces two counts of second-degree murder in the Nov. 11 head-on collision that killed a Kansas City couple.

Preston E. Moore, 29, is also accused of driving while intoxicated and driving with a revoked license that caused the crash that killed Laura Humphrey, 29, and Ryan Humphrey, 31. The accident happened on interstates 49 and 435.

Prosecutors allege Moore was intoxicated and was southbound in the northbound lanes of I-49 when his Chevy Impala crashed into a Jeep Patriot occupied by the couple.

Moore had a prior DWI conviction, according to court records. Laura and Ryan Humphrey had just been married in April, according to Jackson County records.
Investigators found an open liquor bottle on the floorboard of the Impala. Witnesses told police that the Impala traveled at speeds that appeared to exceed 100 mph just prior to the collision.

Witnesses told investigators that the Impala swerved back and forth and at one point, appeared to strike the center median dividing wall. They also said the Impala nearly struck them, and they had to make an evasive lane change to avoid colliding into Moore. The witnesses called 911 to report the Impala. The witnesses turned around at 75th Street and drove southbound on I-49 to keep an eye on the speeding Impala, according to court records.

As they approached the area south of Bannister Road, the witnessed told authorities they noticed the Impala had just collided with the couple’s red Jeep Patriot. The witnesses ran to the mangled vehicles to help. They rushed to help Moore after they discovered the couple in the Patriot were already deceased.

Moore pleaded with the witnesses, “Don’t let me die,” as they tried to pull him from the wreckage, court record stated.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article200891209.html#storylink=cpy