Children and babysitter escape Friday afternoon house fire

Posted: December 21, 2018 - 6:37 p.m.

Photo credit: City of Shawnee, KS Government

Shawnee fire officials say three children and their babysitter escaped a house fire near Blackfish Parkway and Pflumm Road on Friday afternoon.

Firefighters from Shawnee, Lenexa, and Overland Park were dispatched to the home at 13402 West 74th Street at 2:40 p.m.

Shawnee Fire Marshal Corey Sands says one of the children, a 14-year-old boy, heard what he described as a "crackling" sound. The boy looked out a window and saw that the roof was on fire and quickly alerted the babysitter.

The babysitter and all three children, ages four, six, and 14, got out of the house and called 911.

Firefighters arrived and quickly knocked down the fire on the home's wood shake roof.

Fire investigators determined that the fire was sparked by a section of Christmas lights which had arced against the metal guttering, starting a fire involving leaves in the gutters. The fire then extended to the home's wood shake roof.

Photo credit: City of Shawnee, KS Government

"Fires that involve wood shake shingle roofs move very quickly," Fire Marshal Sands said. "The residents quick call to 911 and the fire crews quick stop to this fire saved this home.”

Firefighters also rescued the family's Christmas tree and presents.

No injuries were reported. Damage is estimated at $40,000. Sands says the family will be working with their insurance company.

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Police identify the Lenexa man hit and killed by vehicle

Posted: December 19, 2018 - 3:46 a.m.
Updated: December 19, 2018 - 2:38 p.m.

Lenexa police are investigating after a man in his 70s was hit and killed by a vehicle on Pflumm Road Tuesday evening.

The crash happened around 5:30 p.m. at 75th Terrace and Pflumm Road, just south of the Shawnee and Lenexa city limits.

Police say, Ronald G. Roberts, 77, of Lenexa, was walking westbound across Pflumm Road at 75th Terrace when he was hit by a southbound vehicle.

Master Police Officer Danny Chavez says arriving officers found two citizens were attempting lifesaving measures on Roberts.

Johnson County Med-Act pronounced Roberts dead at the scene.

Green spraypaint on Pflumm Road marks where the vehicle stopped after hitting the man.

The driver of the vehicle stopped and is cooperating with police during their investigation.

Firefighters from Shawnee and Lenexa responded, along with Johnson County Med-Act.

Lenexa police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash with the assistance of the Shawnee Police Department.

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Elementary student reports possible stranger danger

Posted: December 18, 2018 - 12:31 p.m.

A Lenexa elementary student reported a possible case of stranger danger to school officials Monday morning.

Mill Creek Elementary School Principal Michelle Lord sent a message to parents on Monday informing them of the reported incident. Mill Creek Elementary is located in the 13900 block of West 79th Street.

"A student on the way to school this morning was approached by an individual in a gray Jeep," Principal Lord said in the message to parents. "The driver waved at the student to get in the vehicle."

Principal Lord said that the student did not engage with the driver, continued on his way to school, and told an adult what happened.

Lenexa Police say the driver of the Jeep was possibly waving to let the student know that he could cross the street since this occurred at an intersection.

Master Police Officer Danny Chavez says police are handling this as a suspicious activity incident and they do not consider the driver of the Jeep to be a suspect.

"For the same reason, we are not issuing any kind of 'attempt to locate' on the vehicle," Ofc. Chavez said. "The Shawnee Mission School District Police was also made aware of this incident."

Principal Lord asks that students and parents remain vigilant and report any person who may be acting in a strange manner.

"We need to encourage students to remember: 'if you see something, says something'," Principal Lord said in her message.

Officer Chavez adds, "Children should be reminded of the three basic rules with strangers: don't talk to them, don't take anything from them, don't go with them."

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Shawnee Police investigating Monday armed robbery

Posted: December 18, 2018 - 12:04 p.m. 


Shawnee Police say they're investigating after three masked suspects robbed a business near 75th Street and Nieman Road on Monday evening.

Major Sam Larson says officers were called to the Azteca Imports, 11226 West 75th Street, around 8 p.m.

Larson says three suspects entered the store, two of them were armed with handguns, and robbed the business.

"We conducted a K-9 track of the area for the suspects with our K-9 unit," Maj. Larson said. "Lenexa PD assisted us with their drone and searched the area as well."

No suspects were located during the search.

"Our Investigations Bureau is working the case and will be reviewing evidence and surveillance cameras in the area," Maj. Larson said.

No suspect descriptions have been released.

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Overland Park woman killed in late-night crash

Posted: December 18, 2018 - 7:37 a.m.

Overland Park Police say they're investigating after a woman was killed in a crash on U.S. 69 Highway late Monday.

In a news release, Public Information Officer John Lacy says police were called about 11:10 p.m. for a possible injury accident.

"A 19-year-old Overland Park woman was killed when she struck a concrete wall as she was exiting southbound U.S. 69 Highway at College Boulevard," Ofc. Lacy said in the release.

The woman's name will not be released until her family can be notified.

The Overland Park Police Department's Traffic Safety Unit is investigating the crash. Anyone with information regarding this crash can contact Overland Park Police at 913-895-6300.

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