Latest news with #RyanDowdy
USA Today
6 days ago
- USA Today
Watch car crash through Missouri veterans hall's roof for the second time this year
Watch car crash through Missouri veterans hall's roof for the second time this year A Missouri veterans hall is rebuilding for the second time in just two months after a car crashed into its roof... again. The Clay-Ray Veterans Memorial Hall in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, had recently finished repairing its roof after a February incident in which a car launched into the building. The vehicle's 22-year-old driver fled a traffic stop, Clay-Ray Hall said in a Facebook post. The Feb. 22 post also gave citizens an update on the repair process, but things took a turn on May 29 when a new post appeared saying, "Here we go AGAIN!! Round #2" See video of car lodged in the veterans hall's roof Dramatic video shows car launching into roof of building in Missouri Shocking video shows the moment a car launched into the roof of a building in Missouri. It's the second time in three months it has happened. Lt. Ryan Dowdy of the Excelsior Springs Police Department told USA TODAY that authorities responded to a call around 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 28, to find a vehicle lodged in almost the same spot on the roof that had just been fixed. "Very similar to our previous incident a few months ago," Dowdy said. The driver was extracted from his car by first responders and transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities do not know the cause of the accident at this time, though Dowdy said in a news conference that the way the roadway in front of Clay-Ray Hall curves lends itself to launching cars driving it at high speeds. "In both the incidents, speed was definitely a factor," Dowdy said. "As far as this specific situation, we don't know if the subject was impaired or if he had a medical condition at the time causing the accident; that part is still under investigation." Unless a medical condition was involved, the lieutenant said police will likely charge the driver with a crime. Accidents like this aren't uncommon for the veterans hall, police say While the recurrence of such a strange accident raised some questions about the location's safety, Dowdy pointed out that accidents of this caliber are not common in that spot. "I've been here for 13 is only the second time I'm aware of (this happening)," he said, while also telling ABC News that a VFW representative confirmed this was the case in over 80 years of owning the property.
New York Post
6 days ago
- Automotive
- New York Post
Car plunges into Missouri veterans' hall roof — and it's not the first time this year
Defying the odds, a car flew off a roadway and smashed into the roof of a military veterans hall in Missouri — the second such incident in just three months. The Clay-Ray Veterans Memorial Hall in Excelsior Springs was still repairing its roof from the previous crash in February when a driver suffering a medical emergency went airborne and landed on the same part of the building's roof Wednesday morning. 'Though it might seem like a recurring issue, these are very unique situations,' assured Lt. Ryan Dowdy of the Excelsior Springs Police Department, according to ABC News. Advertisement The 56-year-old driver, who was delivering food for a volunteer organization, had suffered a seizure and lost control of his car, according to the Excelsior Citizen. 4 The driver suffered a medical emergency and crashed into the veterans hall roof. FOX4 Kansas City 4 The car lost its engine in the Wednesday morning crash. Excelsior Springs PD Advertisement The silver vehicle landed front-first into the roof around 7:30 a.m. and went about half-way through, photos show. The crash was violent enough that the car's engine ejected and landed near a flagpole, ABC reported. Miraculously, the driver suffered only minor injuries and was able to walk away from the scene. No charges will be filed, according to police. In the 80 years that the VFW has had that property, this is only the second time this has happened, a rep for the veteran organization said, according to Dowdy. The absurd probability of having such a dramatic incident twice in such a short amount of time has not been lost on the community. Advertisement 'Here we go again! Round #2!' The Clay-Ray Veterans Association, which operates the hall for multiple organizations, posted on Facebook after the crash 4 A car crashed through the same part of the building's roof in February. Excelsior Springs PD 4 The organization that runs the veterans hall has started selling T-shirts to raise money. Facebook/Clay-Ray Veterans Association The group has even started selling cheeky T-shirts to raise money for repairs. Advertisement 'Land here for a cold beer,' they read on the back with a graphic of a car sticking out of a roof. One community member commenting on the crash online jokingly suggested they put a 'No parking sign' on top of the building. Another man even suggested rebuilding the roof 'with a ramp thing that redirects cars back onto the road. Like a loop-de-loop.' The previous crash involved a police chase involving a 22-year-old registered sex offender with two teenage girls in his car, according to the Excelsior Citizen. The two teenage passengers suffered serious injuries, while the driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries, police said. That crash caused significant structural damage after it went completely through the roof, forcing the building to shut down. Repairs on those damages had just started when the second car hit. Advertisement The veterans hall held an emergency meeting on Wednesday night to discuss repairs and address the traffic situation that may have led to the crashes, according to the Excelsior Citizen. The building remains closed to the public.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Woman found dead after Excelsior Springs mobile home fire
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One woman is dead after a home fire in Excelsior Springs on Friday morning. According to Excelsior Springs police spokesman Lt. Ryan Dowdy, just before 5:30 a.m., the Excelsior Springs Fire Department and police were called to a mobile home park for a porch on fire. The mobile home is on Stratton Street near Lake Maurer Road. Download WDAF+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV Officers said when they arrived, they found that the mobile home was starting to burn The fire department arrived and searched the mobile home. Inside one of the bedrooms, they found a woman who was dead, according to police. Police said it is believed that she lived alone inside the home. The victim's name has not yet been released. The Missouri State Fire Marshal's Office has been called to investigate Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
Excelsior Springs police track down suspect involved in string of car thefts
EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — Surveillance footage, a distinctive pair of shoes, and a call from a mom helped Excelsior Springs police track down a 15-year-old suspect accused of breaking into and stealing multiple cars. 'Twelve of those were just property damage where he had tried to steal them, went through their vehicle, and stole items from their vehicle,' said Lt. Ryan Dowdy with the Excelsior Springs Police Department. 'Then the other three were successful vehicle thefts where he was able to take the car for some period of time.' The first car break-in was reported on December 17. Dowdy said the 15-year-old suspect targeted Hyundais and Kias in parking lots off Jesse James Road. Drowning suspected after children found dead in Linn County lake In recent years, Kia and Hyundai cars have been hit more nationwide after viral videos showed how easy certain models are to steal or break into. A big piece of the puzzle was surveillance footage given to police that showed the teen wearing a mask and the same pair of shoes during the thefts. During the investigation, officers learned that the suspect would steal a car, drive around for a little while, and then drop the stolen car off near the original location from which it was stolen. The stolen vehicles were also left with damage. 'I can't explain how valuable video and surveillance cameras are to someone's house and protecting them. And then, if you are a victim of a crime, turning that (footage) into the police,' Dowdy said. During the investigation, police received a call from a mom who lived in the area. 'So what happened was his mom called. It was just another kind of routine call where she didn't know that he was committing these thefts, but she called wanting help with another issue regarding parenting and just some advice,' Dowdy said. 'So one of our officers went over there, and while they were speaking, the mom was kind of mentioning some behavioral problems with the child.' During the conversation, the officer noticed the same pair of shoes the suspect wore in the surveillance footage. 'He started putting two and two together. He was in the center location where we'd been looking for him (the suspect). The officer asked if he could look around the kid's room. At that point, they found some stolen debit cards, some stolen driver's licenses, and things of that nature. They waited for him to come home. Once he came home with mom there, officers spoke to him, and they were able to get him to admit what he had been doing,' Dowdy explained. Dowdy said similar thefts have started happening in nearby Wood Heights. ESPD has contacted law enforcement in that area, letting them know it could be the same suspect. 'We think that based on where those vehicles were stolen, where we know now that he was going to, that he's probably their suspect,' Dowdy said. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android Dowdy said all of the cars impacted by break-ins or theft were left unlocked. Here are some tips from ESPD about how to prevent theft: Always lock your car. If you drive a car susceptible to theft, Such as a Kia or Hyundai, you should utilize aftermarket devices like steering wheel locks. If you drive a car susceptible to theft, you can park a different vehicle behind it to deter thieves. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
