A Jackson County businesswoman and single mother died after a police SUV responding to an emergency call struck her car at an intersection near Kansas City, the Independence Police Department said.
Misty Leslie, 48, was killed when an Independence officer driving a 2024 Ford Explorer collided with the passenger side of her 2022 Audi SQ5 shortly after 1 a.m. on Oct. 11. Police said the officer was heading west on U.S. Highway 24 with lights and siren on when Leslie’s Audi, traveling north, entered the intersection.
Early evidence indicates the officer had a green light and Leslie had a red light at the time of the crash, according to police. Both drivers were wearing seat belts. Leslie was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and later died. The officer was also hospitalized but did not suffer serious injuries.
Police have not disclosed how fast either vehicle was traveling or what call the officer was responding to. The crash remains under investigation, and it is unclear whether any video footage exists.
A Department Under Scrutiny
The crash comes months after Independence police revised their pursuit policy to limit high-speed chases over minor traffic violations and city ordinance offenses. Leslie’s death, however, occurred during an emergency response rather than a pursuit.
At a March City Council meeting, interim Police Chief Douglas Brinkley said Independence officers were involved in 541 pursuits in 2025, compared with 137 for Kansas City police, according to The Kansas City Star.
“I do think we have a reputation for pursuing but we still have to balance that risk versus reward,” Brinkley told council members.
A 2024 Star investigation found Independence led the Kansas City metro area in high-speed pursuits. Across the region in 2022, more than 1,200 pursuits resulted in over 150 crashes and 51 injuries, with Independence accounting for roughly a third of those injuries.
Remembering Misty Leslie
Leslie worked as a district manager for Signet Jewelers, supporting the Banter by Piercing Pagoda brand, and ran her own business, EBW Photography, according to her obituary. Family described her as a determined and competitive leader who cared deeply for her employees.
Her obituary said her proudest role was being mother to her daughter, Emarea Leslie: “Of all the titles Misty held throughout her life, being Emarea’s mom was the one that mattered most.”
A friend, Christel Meinhold, wrote a tribute on Facebook recalling their close friendship built around raising their children together.
“If you knew Misty, you knew that woman couldn’t do ANYTHING halfway,” Meinhold wrote, adding, “I wish we had one more three-hour conversation that solved absolutely nothing.”
A funeral service for Leslie was held Oct. 19 in Lee’s Summit.
It is not yet known whether the Missouri State Highway Patrol is assisting with the investigation. A records request has been filed under Missouri’s Sunshine Law seeking crash reports, dispatch records, available footage and the department’s emergency-driving policies.
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