Pedestrian Killed After Being Struck by SUV While Crossing Northbound I-35 Near 25th Street in Kansas City

Published by Dunk Law Firm

Published:

Branded Dunk Law Firm news card about the pedestrian killed while crossing northbound Interstate 35 near 25th Street in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 13, 2026, with police-sourced facts and the phone number 888-551-3865. The background is an AI-generated editorial illustration, not the actual crash scene: an empty lit road at night.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A pedestrian was killed after being struck by an SUV while crossing northbound Interstate 35 near 25th Street on Friday night, November 13, 2026, according to the Kansas City Police Department as reported by KCTV5, KMBC and The Kansas City Star.

Emergency crews responded around 9:35 p.m. to the area of northbound I-35 and 25th Street, KCTV5 reported; the Star said officers were dispatched around 9:37 p.m. Police said the pedestrian was crossing the northbound lanes from east to west when a blue Ford Escape traveling north struck them. According to a crash log cited by the Star, the collision happened in the left lane. Paramedics pronounced the pedestrian dead at the scene.

The Ford's driver and front-seat passenger stayed at the scene and were not injured, police said. Two northbound lanes were closed for about three hours while officers investigated; the highway has since reopened. As of Saturday, police had not publicly identified the pedestrian, and the investigation remained ongoing. According to police spokesperson Capt. Jake Becchina, as reported by the Star, it was Kansas City's 63rd traffic death this year, compared with 57 at this time last year. We extend our deepest sympathy to the pedestrian's family and friends.

Questions after a serious crash? Call Dunk Law Firm at (888) 551-3865 for a free case review, 24/7.

Key Facts

  • Location: Northbound Interstate 35 near 25th Street, Kansas City, Missouri; impact in the left lane, per a crash log cited by the Star
  • Date and time: Friday, November 13, 2026, around 9:35 p.m. Central (KCTV5); dispatch around 9:37 p.m. (Kansas City Star); KMBC says just after 9:30 p.m.
  • People and vehicles: A pedestrian crossing the northbound lanes east to west; a blue Ford Escape traveling north
  • Deaths: The pedestrian, pronounced dead at the scene; not publicly identified
  • Others: The Ford's driver and front-seat passenger stayed and were not injured
  • Road impact: Two northbound lanes closed for about three hours
  • Investigating agency: Kansas City Police Department; the city's 63rd traffic death of 2026

Sources checked as of November 14, 2026, 3:11 p.m. CST. This line is not the article's publication date.

Timeline of Official Statements and Reporting

  • Fri., Nov. 13, around 9:35 p.m. Central: Crews respond to northbound I-35 and 25th Street (KCPD via KCTV5); the Star reports dispatch around 9:37 p.m.
  • Fri., Nov. 13, late evening: Two northbound lanes stay closed for about three hours, then reopen (KCPD via KCTV5 and KMBC).
  • Sat., Nov. 14, about 7:35 a.m. Central: KCTV5 publishes the police account (reporting milestone).
  • Sat., Nov. 14, about 8:39 a.m. Central: KMBC publishes its report (reporting milestone).
  • Sat., Nov. 14, 12:25 p.m. Central: The Kansas City Star publishes its report with the crash-log details (reporting milestone).

What Makes This Crash Different

This crash happened on an interstate, at night, to a person on foot. Police said the pedestrian was crossing the northbound lanes of I-35 from east to west, and the Ford's driver and passenger stayed at the scene. Why the person was on the highway has not been released.

Pedestrian deaths on a freeway raise questions that are different from a crash at a city crosswalk: lighting, visibility, vehicle speed and whether the driver had any chance to see the person in time. Missouri's fault rules are also different from many states, which matters when a pedestrian is involved.

Questions Investigators May Examine

  • Why the pedestrian was on the highway and where they had been before crossing.
  • Lighting and visibility on northbound I-35 near 25th Street at about 9:35 p.m.
  • The Ford Escape's speed and lane position, and when the driver could first see the pedestrian.
  • Whether highway cameras or vehicle cameras recorded the moments before the impact.

These are investigative questions, not allegations that any driver, agency or company caused the crash.

What Remains Unknown

  • The pedestrian's name, age and gender; police had not publicly identified them as of Saturday.
  • Why the pedestrian was crossing the interstate.
  • Whether any citation or charge will follow; the sources reviewed report none.
  • The identities of the Ford's driver and passenger; police have not released them.

Evidence to Preserve

  • Request the crash report when it is available (see below) and keep the report or case number.
  • Find out where each vehicle is. Vehicles can be held as evidence. A person with legal authority can ask that a vehicle be preserved before it is repaired, salvaged or destroyed, while respecting any law-enforcement hold.
  • Ask about video early. Tell investigators or a lawyer about businesses, traffic cameras or doorbell cameras near northbound I-35 near 25th Street. Recordings can be overwritten. Do not enter restricted property to get them.
  • Look at the household's own auto policies. A pedestrian's family may have coverage through their own auto insurance, such as uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, depending on the policy terms. Our guide What does comparative negligence mean? explains how shared fault can affect a claim.
  • Keep original photos, texts and witness contact details without editing them. Access a deceased person's phone or accounts only with proper legal authority.
  • Keep financial, work and insurance records, including funeral costs, medical bills, pay stubs, policies and claim letters.

Our guide on evidence that can disappear after a vehicle collision explains why preservation can matter before an investigation ends. Avoid public accusations, and do not post private family documents.

How to get the crash report. Because the Kansas City Police Department is investigating, its own process applies rather than the Highway Patrol's. KCPD's online crash reports page says traffic crash reports are sold through BuyCrash for $9 per report, and you need the report number, a name and the date of the incident. KCPD's records FAQ asks people to allow 10–14 business days from the date of the incident for a report to become available; that is an agency estimate, not a guarantee for this report. Investigative reports, photos and video are requested separately and may take longer.

What Families Should Know

This is general information about Missouri law, not advice about anyone's claim, and it does not assume anyone is at fault.

Who can bring a wrongful death claim in Missouri? Under RSMo 537.080, the first group is the spouse, children, surviving lineal descendants of deceased children, or the natural or adoptive parents of the person who died. If no one in that group is entitled to sue, siblings or their descendants may, and if no one in either group can, a court can appoint a plaintiff ad litem. Only one action may be brought against any one defendant for one person's death; that does not limit how many defendants can be named.

What is the deadline? RSMo 537.100 says an action under 537.080 generally must be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrues, with specific provisions on absent defendants and refiling after a nonsuit. Nothing here is a calculated deadline for any family.

How does fault work? Missouri follows pure comparative fault: fault assigned to a person reduces recovery in proportion, instead of cutting it off at a percentage. The general rule comes from the Missouri Supreme Court's decision in *Gustafson v. Benda* (1983). Fault is decided on the evidence, and the sources we reviewed make no final finding.

Damages. RSMo 537.090 lets the fact-finder award damages that are fair and just, including pecuniary losses, funeral expenses and the reasonable value of services, consortium, companionship, comfort, guidance and support lost, plus damages the person suffered between injury and death. Grief and bereavement damages are not recoverable. That section sets no dollar ceiling, but claims against government entities, punitive-damage requests and health-care claims follow other rules that need separate review.

A wrongful death lawyer can explain these rules without assuming anyone is responsible. Before signing an insurance release, understand which claims it settles and whether you have authority to sign it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did the driver stay? Yes. Police said the Ford Escape's driver and front-seat passenger stayed at the scene and were not injured.

Has the pedestrian been identified? Not as of Saturday, according to KCTV5 and The Kansas City Star.

Can a pedestrian's family recover anything if the pedestrian shared some fault? Missouri follows pure comparative fault, so a share of fault reduces recovery in proportion rather than barring it at a set percentage. Fault is decided on the evidence, and the sources reviewed make no finding.

Who is investigating? The Kansas City Police Department.

How Dunk Law Firm Can Help

A case review can help identify which records to request, what evidence may need preserving, which insurance policies to look at and who may have authority to act. It cannot establish fault or promise compensation before the facts are known.

Dunk Law Firm handles wrongful death, catastrophic injury and commercial vehicle cases. Our St. Louis office serves families in the Kansas City area and throughout Missouri, and the firm also serves clients statewide in Texas, Tennessee and Wisconsin, with offices in Houston, Memphis and Milwaukee. Dunk Law Firm does not contact families after a crash; if you have questions, reach out when you are ready.

For a free case review, call (888) 551-3865 or visit Dunk Law Firm. Help is available 24/7, with no upfront attorney fees. Ask about the written fee agreement and case expenses.

You do not need to have every document ready to ask an initial question.

Sources

Sources checked November 14, 2026, 3:11 p.m. CST.

  1. KCTV5: Pedestrian killed in crash on northbound I-35 in Kansas City — published Nov. 14, 2026, about 7:35 a.m. Central (metadata 2026-11-14T13:35:27Z); cites KCPD
  2. KMBC: Pedestrian killed on I-35 in Kansas City — published Nov. 14, 2026, about 8:39 a.m. Central (metadata 2026-11-14T14:39:00Z); cites a KCPD spokesperson
  3. The Kansas City Star: Pedestrian killed in crash with SUV on Kansas City highway, police say — published Nov. 14, 2026, 12:25 p.m. Central; cites police and a crash log
  4. Missouri Revised Statutes §537.080 — who may sue
  5. Missouri Revised Statutes §537.090 — damages
  6. Missouri Revised Statutes §537.100 — filing period
  7. Gustafson v. Benda (Mo. 1983) — comparative fault
  8. KCPD: Online crash reports
  9. KCPD: Records and video request FAQs

The images with this article are AI-generated editorial illustrations, not photographs of the actual scene.

Attorney advertising. General information, not legal advice. No outcome is guaranteed, and contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. This report does not imply representation of anyone involved. Attorney review or approval is not claimed. Responsible attorney: Orville Dunk.