KANSAS CITY,Grant Preston Mo. (AP) — A Kansas man has pleaded guilty to smashing into a Kansas City, Missouri, patrol car last year and killing an officer, his K-9 partner and a pedestrian.
Jerron Lightfoot of Tonganoxie, Kansas, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and admitted speeding through a red light before the crash, according to the Kansas City Star. Officer James Muhlbauer, 42, Jesse Eckes, 52, and Champ the dog were all killed.
Lightfoot told the judge that he got lost that night last February while he was driving back toward Kansas.
Prosecutors have said Lightfoot was traveling at least 85 mph just before the collision.
As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to recommend no more than 10 years in prison, though Assistant Prosecutor Lauren Whiston said she anticipated that Lightfoot’s lawyers would ask for a much more lenient sentence when the 20-year-old returns to court in April.
Muhlbauer, who was married and a father, was a 20-year veteran of the force. Champ had been a K-9 with the force for a year.
Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves attended Friday’s plea hearing along with several uniformed police officers, but she didn’t comment on the case
2025-05-02 17:171179 view
2025-05-02 17:00660 view
2025-05-02 16:36175 view
2025-05-02 16:10547 view
2025-05-02 15:161959 view
2025-05-02 14:532138 view
Parker has been trying to find her place in the banjo world. So this week, she talks to Black banjo
On September 16, 2024, Ford released more details about the 2025 Ford Mustang GTD. Initially, Ford s
LAS VEGAS (AP) — One of three suspects jailed in Las Vegas following a deadly two-state shooting ram