A Kansas City woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a fatal crash last year that happened as she and two other women ran from police in Johnson County, leading police on a high-speed chase after they allegedly stole merchandise from an Overland Park store.
As part of a plea agreement, Shyanne Brina Canady, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery in Johnson County District Court in May. The 10-year sentence was imposed Friday.
According to the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office, one of Canady’s accomplices in the thefts — identified in court documents as Imari Collins — died. The 75 items that the women allegedly stole from the T.J. Maxx store at 7921 West 160th Street in Overland Park had a collective value of about $2,000, according to police.
Canady’s attorney, Zane Todd Jr., declined to comment for this story.
Police were called to the store for a theft in progress call Nov. 27, and Canady, Collins and another woman were later identified as the suspects, according to police. An Overland Park police sergeant responded and saw the three women run from the store and get into a car.
Loss prevention staff at the store later reported Canady was leaving the store when she saw a police vehicle outside, and the three women dropped the items they were leaving with and ran outside, according to court documents.
The sergeant pursued the vehicle, which reportedly hit speeds of more than 90 miles an hour in a posted 55 mph construction zone, and at one point their vehicles collided, which the sergeant thought was “intentional on the part of the suspect driver,” according to court documents. The vehicle continued onto Blue Valley Parkway, went through a red light at the West 119th Street intersection and was hit by a SUV going through a green light, police said.
Per department policy, Overland Park officers are allowed to pursue vehicles in circumstances approved by the police chief to address specific crime trends, and more generally if they have reasonable suspicion a suspect has committed or attempted felony crimes like robbery or more serious offenses. When an officer has reasonable suspicion that a person is a danger to themselves or others “based on the totality of the circumstances,” police can also attempt to stop a vehicle.
Overland Park police were not immediately available to respond to The Star’s questions about the police response in this case.
In an interview with police, one of the women allegedly admitted that she, Canady and Collins had been in the store and picked up merchandise but dropped the items after Canady had spotted a police officer in the parking lot. She said they then ran to Canady’s vehicle and that Canady drove from the scene.
Collins was unresponsive at the scene of the crash and was taken to the intensive care unit at Overland Park Regional Medical Center, where she reportedly had no brain activity, a police sergeant wrote in a report at the time. She was later declared dead.
In an interview with police after the crash, Canady said it was Collins who had been driving, but police said the claim was not supported by evidence.
Police determined the three women had stolen from the T.J. Maxx store previously. Canady allegedly identified the three women as having been involved in thefts from the store on Nov. 15 and 19.
According to an investigation by The Star, at least 28 law enforcement policies around the metro area have broad police pursuit policies that allow officers and troopers to pursue a vehicle for almost any offense. These broad policies often create risks to public safety that outweigh the benefits of a potential arrest, according to many policing experts.
Other police departments, like Grandview, only allow for pursuits when there’s a suspected felony offense.
EMEA Tribune is not involved in this news article, it is taken from our partners and or from the News Agencies. Copyright and Credit go to the News Agencies, email news@emeatribune.com Follow our WhatsApp verified Channel
