A car chase on I-29 led to a multi-vehicle accident, three fatalities, and multiple other injuries Sunday morning, November 17, 2024, in Atchison County, Missouri. The accident occurred at 7:22 a.m. as a 2023 Kia Sorento, driven by a 29-year-old male of Bellevue, Nebraska, was driving southbound in the northbound lanes of the interstate, followed by a 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by a 32-year-old male of Sidney, Iowa. The front of the Kia hit the front of a northbound 2013 Ford Focus, driven by an 18-year-old male of Kearney, Missouri. The Kia continued southbound and traveled off the west side of the roadway, striking a bridge abutment and catching fire. The Ford Focus traveled off the west side of the roadway, overturned, ejecting a passenger. A 2024 Volvo VNL tractor trailer, driven by a 30-year-old male from Ontario, Canada, swerved to avoid the Kia and Ford and subsequently struck the Chevy Tahoe. The tractor trailer and Chevy traveled off the west side of the roadway and into the median, both coming to rest facing north on their wheels. The Kia came to rest on its driver’s side, facing south. The Ford Focus  came to rest on its roof facing west.

The 18-year-old male driver of the Ford Focus, the 18 year-old ejected female passenger in the Ford Focus, and the 29-year-old driver of the Kia Sorento whose vehicle caught fire were all killed in the accident and pronounced deceased at the scene by Atchison County Coroner Shawn Minter at 8:57 a.m. Other occupants injured included a one-year-old male child of Bellevue, who was a passenger in the Kia and was not in a safety seat. He suffered moderate injuries and was transported by an Atchison-Holt ambulance to George C. Grape Hospital in Hamburg, Iowa. An 18-year-old female from Kearney who was another passenger in the Ford Focus suffered serious injuries and was flown by LifeNet to Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The driver of the Chevy Tahoe suffered minor injuries and was transported by Fremont County EMS to George C. Grape Hospital in Hamburg.

The 2013 Ford Focus, the 2023 Kia Sorento, and the 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe were all totaled and towed from the scene by Benefiel’s Towing. The 2024 Volvo VNL tractor trailer sustained moderate damage and was also towed from the scene by Benefiel’s Towing. The accident was investigated by Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper R.A. Matthews and Corporal R.V. McCormick with MCIU Team 1. They were assisted by Lt. J.M. Cross, Sgt. A.A. Henry, Sgt. R.P. Dudeck, Cpl. S.J. Force, Cpl. K.L. Ebersold, Tpr. C.R. Kinman, and CVO J.E. Lawrence, as well as Hamburg Fire & Rescue, the Atchison-Holt Ambulance Service, Fremont County EMS, Atchison County Coroner Shawn Minter, Rock Port and Watson Volunteer Fire Departments, and LifeNet.