NINE. AND THAT BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THREE MONTHS, A CAR CRASHES INTO A VETERANS HOME IN EXCELSIOR SPRINGS AND WE HAVE VIDEO OF IT HAPPENING. THE CAR LEAVING A STREET FLYING ONTO THE ROOF OF A BUILDING. AND SOMEHOW THE DRIVER WALKED AWAY. HERE’S THE SCENE A FEW HOURS LATER FROM NEWSCHOPPER 9, YOU CAN SEE CREWS REMOVING THAT CAR FROM THE ROOF USING A CRANE. KMBC NINE ANDY ALCOCK IS LIVE OUTSIDE THE CLAY RAY VETERANS HALL WITH MORE ON HOW THIS HAPPENED. ANDY. YEAH, CHRIS, WE ARE ON THE SIDEWALK HERE, RIGHT ALONG SAINT LOUIS AVENUE, AND LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ROAD. YOU CAN SEE THE GOUGE HERE. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THE DRIVER’S CAR HIT THE ROAD NOSE FIRST, THEN FLIPPED OVER AND LANDED INTO THE ROOF, CAUSING THIS GAPING HOLE WHICH IS NOW BEING REPAIRED. SURVEILLANCE VIDEO FROM LEWIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOWS PART OF WHAT HAPPENED AT ABOUT 720 THIS MORNING. THE DRIVER RUNS HIS CAR OFF A CLIFF. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE HE BOUNCES OFF SAINT LOUIS AVENUE AND THEN FLIPS INTO THE ROOF OF THE EXCELSIOR SPRINGS VETERANS BUILDING. THEY CALLED THIS MORNING AND I WAS SHOCKED. I MEAN, LIKE, SURELY NOT IN THE ROOF. AND WE COME DOWN HERE AND THE CAR IS EMBEDDED IN THE BUILDING AGAIN, AMERICAN LEGION VICE COMMANDER RUSTY HERINGTON IS REFERRING TO ANOTHER CAR BEING STUCK IN THE SAME BUILDING’S ROOF IN FEBRUARY. IN THAT INSTANCE, COURT DOCUMENTS STATE A CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER, KAITLYN HOLLIS, WAS FLEEING POLICE WITH 213 YEAR OLD GIRLS IN THE CAR WHEN HE WENT OVER THE CLIFF AND INTO THE BUILDING. WHAT LED TO THIS MORNING’S CRASH IS UNCLEAR. THIS ONE WAS SUPER UNIQUE. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THIS MORNING’S DRIVER WENT THROUGH THESE TREES AND OVER THE CLIFF. SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWS DEBRIS FLYING OVER THE BUILDING, INCLUDING THE DISLODGED CAR MOTOR. THAT MOTOR WAS LOADED ONTO A FLATBED TRUCK BEHIND THE SMASHED UP CAR. THE DRIVER, WHO WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. IF THAT ENGINE COMES OUT, I COULDN’T IMAGINE HOW A HUMAN WOULDN’T COME OUT OF THE CAR IF HE WASN’T WEARING A SEATBELT. AS FOR THE AMERICAN LEGION, THE REPAIRS AREN’T FINISHED AFTER FEBRUARY’S CRASH. NOW NEW REPAIRS ARE NEEDED. WE DO THE BEST WE CAN AROUND HERE. ANY HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY OR ANYTHING WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. AND LOOKING LIVE, YOU CAN SEE LEWIS ELEMENTARY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CRASH SITE. WE’RE TOLD THAT FLYING DEBRIS THIS MORNING COULD HAVE EASILY HIT CHILDREN WALKING TO SCHOOL. FORTUNATELY, CLASSES RECENTLY ENDED FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR. REPORTING LIVE IN EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, ANDY ALCOCK KMBC NINE NEWS. CHRIS. YEAH, ANDY. REAL QUICK. SO ARE THESE TWO CRASHES, THESE TWO CASES MERELY COINCIDENTAL? INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE SO. NOW, REMEMBER, HOLLIS WAS FLEEING POLICE. WE’RE TOLD THE GUY THIS MORNING HAD JUST COME FROM THE GROCERY STORE. SO THEY ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT SCENARIOS. I THINK IT’S ALSO WORTH NOTING, AS WE TAKE A LOOK OVER HERE, YOU CAN SEE THIS TREE LINE. INVESTIGATORS TELL US YOU WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE BEEN FLYING, GOING REALLY FAST JUST TO GET THROUGH THE TREES, JUST TO GET OVER THE CLIFF. CHRIS ANDY ALCOCK LIVE IN EXCELSIOR SPRINGS. ANDY. THANKS. POLICE BELIEVE THE DRIVER HAD A MEDICAL EPISODE OR WAS IMPAIRED. THE FINDING
WATCH: Car goes airborne, crashes into roof of veterans hall
![KMBC logo]()
Updated: 2:38 PM CDT May 29, 2025
A car went airborne and crashed into the roof of a veterans hall early Wednesday – the second car to do so in just a few months. At around 7:20 a.m. in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, which is around 30 miles outside of Kansas City, a man was driving on when he failed to stop at an intersection. His car then went airborne over the road, crashing into the Clay-Ray Veterans Hall, according to police.This is the second instance of a car crashing into the building's roof. In February, another car went airborne and plummeted into the roof, seriously injuring two teenagers and leading to charges, according to Kansas City sister station KMBC.The fact that this happened twice has many, including American Legion Vice Commander Rusty Harrington, stunned. "They called this morning and I was shocked, I mean, like, surely not in the roof, and we come down here, and the car's embedded in the building again," Harrington said. Repairs were not finished from the crash in February, and now, even more work will have to be done. "We do the best we can around here, and any help from the community or anything would be greatly appreciated," Harrington said. Security video from a nearby elementary school captured the incident, which showed the car flying into the roof, and the motor landing behind the building. "If that engine comes out, I couldn't imagine how a human wouldn't come out of the car if he wasn't wearing a seat belt," Excelsior Springs Police Lt. Ryan Dowdy said. The driver of Wednesday's crash, who was wearing a seat belt, was able to walk to an ambulance and was taken to the hospital for evaluation. In the player below: Get another look at the crashHe could face charges if the crash did not stem from a medical situation. Police said speed may have been a factor, but the incident is under investigation. The vehicle remained in the roof hours later and was eventually taken out with a crane.
EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — A car went airborne and crashed into the roof of a veterans hall early Wednesday – the second car to do so in just a few months.
At around 7:20 a.m. in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, which is around 30 miles outside of Kansas City, a man was driving on when he failed to stop at an intersection. His car then went airborne over the road, crashing into the Clay-Ray Veterans Hall, according to police.
Submitted, Terri Robinette
This is the second instance of a car crashing into the building's roof. In February, another car went airborne and plummeted into the roof, seriously injuring two teenagers and , according to Kansas City sister station KMBC.
The fact that this happened twice has many, including American Legion Vice Commander Rusty Harrington, stunned.
"They called this morning and I was shocked, I mean, like, surely not in the roof, and we come down here, and the car's embedded in the building again," Harrington said.
Repairs were not finished from the crash in February, and now, even more work will have to be done.
"We do the best we can around here, and any help from the community or anything would be greatly appreciated," Harrington said.
Security video from a nearby elementary school captured the incident, which showed the car flying into the roof, and the motor landing behind the building.
"If that engine comes out, I couldn't imagine how a human wouldn't come out of the car if he wasn't wearing a seat belt," Excelsior Springs Police Lt. Ryan Dowdy said.
The driver of Wednesday's crash, who was wearing a seat belt, was able to walk to an ambulance and was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
In the player below: Get another look at the crash
He could face charges if the crash did not stem from a medical situation.
Police said speed may have been a factor, but the incident is under investigation.
The vehicle remained in the roof hours later and was eventually taken out with a crane.
