Lee's Summit community mourns loss of 14-year-old killed in bicycle crash
LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — Heartbreak has ripped through the Lee's Summit community after 14-year-old Noah Lakey, an outgoing eighth grader at Summit Lakes Middle School, was killed while riding his bike.
According to police, Lakey was riding along the sidewalk near SW Jefferson Road and SW Scherer Road when he entered the westbound lane and collided with a vehicle.
He was taken to a local hospital, where he later died. The driver was evaluated at the scene and did not require medical attention.
3 Leavenworth school employees accused of failing to report child abuse
Noah was just weeks away from starting his freshman year of high school, a milestone he'll now never reach. In the wake of his death, friends of the family launched a GoFundMe, which has already raised over $20,000 in a single day.
Amber Rollins, Director of Kansas City-based Kids and Cars Safety, says this tragedy is sadly far from rare.
'As a mother, my heart is broken for this family and this community,' Rollins said.
'I'm sure there are so many people who loved this young man and are completely shattered.'
The organization says around 400,000 accidents involving kids, bikes and cars occur each year, with nearly 300 resulting in death.
With summer break underway and more children outside, Rollins urges families and drivers to stay especially alert.
Donna Kelce to make reality TV debut on Peacock's 'The Traitors'
'It only takes one split second of distraction for something horrible to happen,' she said.
'Safety may not be on the top of kids' minds, but we need to make sure it is — talk to your children, tell them Noah's story, and honor him by being safe.'
Rollins emphasized that wearing a helmet should never be optional, calling it a non-negotiable part of bike safety.
The Lee's Summit Police Department says the investigation is ongoing, but so far, the crash appears to be a tragic accident.
The school district is offering support resources to students, staff, and community members affected by Noah's passing.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
FDNY chaplain's signature forged on letter backing Queens pot dispensary
They'll burn for this one! The owners of a legal Queens marijuana dispensary are under fire for allegedly trying to dupe government officials to back their expansion efforts — by claiming the FDNY's top religious leader is high on the plan. A recently circulated letter supporting Astoria-based Terp Bros' application to open a second dispensary in Ozone Park that was 'purportedly authored and signed' by FDNY Chaplain Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello, 'appears to be a forgery,' warned FDNY Deputy Commissioner of General Counsel Don Nguyen in a June 5 letter to Queens Community Board 10. Advertisement The FDNY has 'no position' in general on applications to run cannabis dispensaries in the Big Apple, he added in the letter, obtained by The Post. 3 FDNY Chaplain Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello told The Post he wasn't aware of the letter. Stefano Giovannini The bogus letter addressed to 'legislators, Community Boards and the NYS Office of Cannabis Management' claimed Gigantiello is pushing Terp Bros' plan because 'safe use of Hemp and other Cannabis plants is long overdue.' Advertisement 'We must help those like Terp Bros gain the opportunity to continue working with the community in providing them with a safe, legal way to purchase cannabis and cannabis-related products,' the faux holy man wrote. Terp Bros' co-owners Jeremy Rivera and Alessandro Cottone opened their pot shop at 3610 Ditmars Blvd. in October 2023. In April, Time Out magazine ranked it New York's ninth best weed dispensary out the state's 405 licensed cannabis shops. The letter tries to portray Rivera — an ex-con who spent 11 years in jail for criminal possession of controlled substances and robbery — as a sympathetic figure. 3 Jeremy Rivera and Alessandro Cottone opened their Astoria pot shop in October 2023 and earlier this year, Time Out magazine ranked it New York's ninth best weed dispensary out the state's 405 licensed cannabis shops. Kyle Stevens/Shutterstock Advertisement He, 'his family, and many others like him have paid a great price caused by wrongful and failed policy targeting minorities and the failed war on drugs as it pertains to hemp and other cannabis,' it reads. Gigantiello insisted to The Post he didn't write or authorize the letter — and never even heard of the weed joint until learning of the letter. 'I had no idea. Someone shouldn't be using using my name in any form,' added the monsignor, who made headlines two years after being relieved of his administrative duties for allowing pop star Sabrina Carpenter to film a racy music video inside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel-Annunciation Parish in Williamsburg. 3 Owners of the popular shop didn't respond to messages seeking comment. Helayne Seidman Advertisement The board rejected the pot shop's application in January — and said it didn't get the letter until only a few weeks ago. Board members showed the letter to NYC Council Minority Leader Joann Ariola (R-Queens), who alerted the Fire Department. 'It's very telling that someone would fake a letter from a monsignor because they couldn't deal with the results of a community board vote,' Ariola said. 'If they didn't like the way the board voted, I get it, but forging a letter from an FDNY chaplain is the absolute worst way to try and change their opinion.' The state's Office of Cannabis Management will ultimately decide whether to approve the plan. Messages left for Terp Bros' owners were not returned.
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
NYPD to contract Israeli firm to search deep web for bomb makers
The NYPD is preparing to partner with an Israeli company to scour the deep web for terrorists who want to make bombs, other explosive devices and chemical weapons, according to an official notice online. The two-year, $567,000 deal with Tel Aviv-based Terrogence Global will cover the purchase of 'Explosive Tradecraft Intelligence Reporting Services' that will look for and analyze online conversations in multiple languages, according to the notice seeking public comment. The comment stage is a precursor to a deal. The company provides a tool for searching for online discussions on IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), bombs and chemical weapons, a police source said. Advertisement 3 The NYPD is entering a contract with a company that will help scour the Internet for threats. AFP via Getty Images On its website, Terrogence says its 'analysts utilize multiple virtual agents (Avatars) to gather information' from the Internet. They agents also 'proactively engage potential threat actors on social media, instant messaging and the Deep Web, and provide the relevant context to mitigate threats,' according to the website. The three-year contract would go into effect Sept. 15 with options to renew through 2033, according to the notice seeking public comment. Advertisement The move to bolster the detection of bad actors online comes as arsonists torched at least 11 marked NYPD vehicles in a Brooklyn parking lot Thursday. Investigators found undetonated explosive devices in the area after two masked suspects were seen running away, police and sources said. 3 The company will search clandestine spaces on the web, according to its website. Gorodenkoff – 3 Shai Arbel is chief executive officer at Terrogence Global, the company that's set to get the NYPD contract. linkedin/in/shai-arbel-7a430b6 The NYPD has been ramping up its tech abilities recently overall. Advertisement Last year the department inked an $383,744 contract to purchase a drone-tracking system. The stationary system uses radio frequencies, cameras and radar to id and follow drones, according to the contract.
New York Post
4 hours ago
- New York Post
Anti-Israel Protesters Sue NYPD, Leave Out Bomb Scare
Two women busted during a chaotic anti-Israel protest in Times Square — where cops were infamously blocked from reaching a grenade left in an Uber — are suing the NYPD, whining they were injured during their arrests. Jasmeen Nijjar and Anees Hasnain filed separate lawsuits last week in Manhattan Supreme Court, accusing officers of assault, unlawful search and seizure, false arrest and denial of medical care during the raucous March 2, 2024 'Millions March for Palestine' rally. Hasnain, 33, a program director at a non-profit, claims she was punched in the face by an NYPD detective and cuffed while still wearing a backpack — which she says caused 'heavy pressure' on her wrists. 5 The March 2024 protest in Times Square led to dozens of arrests — including Anees Hasnain and Jasmeen Nijjar, who now allege NYPD officers used excessive force and denied them medical care during and after they were taken into custody. Adam Gray for New York Post An officer placed her phone in a plastic bag with 'pooled water,' destroying it, she claimed in court papers Nijjar, 31, a course associate at Columbia University and a NYC-based social worker, was dragged by her scarf and jacket, punched in the back of the head and zip-tied so tightly that her left hand was injured, the filing states. Her LinkedIn profile now lists 'Free Palestine' in her title. The filings make no mention of the explosive drama that drew a heavy police presence to the scene. 5 The lawsuits don't mention the grenade discovered in an Uber nearby — or that the NYPD said their response to the explosive device was obstructed by protesters. Adam Gray for New York Post An Uber driver had discovered a grenade in the back seat of his Nissan Altima and flagged down officers near 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue. Police later determined the device was inert — but said protesters delayed the bomb squad's response by blocking the roadway and surrounding emergency vehicles. 'Happy Saturday to all! Except the people who thought it was a good idea to block an NYPD ESU vehicle on the way to a bomb threat call,' then-NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry posted after the incident. 'They will be spending their Saturday where they belong – in jail!' Video released by the NYPD shows dozens of demonstrators swarming a police vehicle before officers pushed them back. 5 The 'Millions March for Palestine' protest brought thousands to Times Square and shut down blocks of Midtown as tensions between demonstrators and police escalated. Adam Gray for New York Post The suit claims officers used 'discourteous and racist language' and refused to get her medical help despite repeated requests. Both women allege they were denied phone calls, unlawfully searched at NYPD headquarters and held for hours before being released with desk appearance tickets, according to the lawsuit. Both women were issued desk appearance tickets but never formally charged. Prosecutors later declined to pursue the cases. 5 Police shut down 42nd Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues as emergency units tried to reach the car with the grenade, while protesters continued to pack the surrounding blocks. Adam Gray for New York Post The lawsuits name multiple officers — including Capt. Gzim Palaj, Officer Vito Scalici and Detective Craig A. Jacob — and seek unspecified damages. The lawsuits make no mention of the grenade incident — or any alleged interference with police response. The NYPD declined to comment on ongoing litigation. Attorneys for the women also did not return messages. 5 Hasnain and Nijjar say they were issued desk appearance tickets and released the night of the protest. They claimed officers assaulted them and that their detention was unlawful, according to the legal papers. Adam Gray for New York Post
