KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Two men who died when their car slammed into a tree in Kansas City on Sunday morning have been identified as residents of neighboring Johnson County, Kan.
But police don't know why the driver continued speeding through Kansas City's Brookside neighborhood after an officer stopped chasing him.
The Kansas City Star reports the driver of the Mazda RX-7 was identified Monday as the car's owner, 26-year-old Matthew Shacklett. His passenger, 29-year-old Trevor Olson, also died. Both were from Overland Park, Kan.
An officer followed the car for about six blocks after getting a report of an erratic driver. The officer gave up but the car kept going at speeds estimated by witnesses at 80 mph.
The car hit a light pole and a tree. Its engine was thrown 100 feet and a wheel was found a block away.