Kansas City truck driver charged with involuntary manslaughter in crash that killed assistant fire chief

Kevin Lee Brunson was charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter.(Boone County Jail)

By Greg Dailey

Published: Mar. 28, 2022 at 10:42 AM CDT|Updated: Mar. 28, 2022 at 3:09 PM CDT

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - A 65-year-old Kansas City truck driver has been arrested in connection with the crash that killed an assistant fire chief while he was working an accident scene.

The Kansas City Star reports that the Missouri Highway Patrol arrested Kevin Lee Brunson on Friday in Clay County. Boone County assistant fire chief Bryant Gladney died in an accident that occurred early on Dec. 22 on Interstate 70 near Columbia, as he was working at the scene of a previous accident.

A semi-truck traveling at a high rate of speed struck Gladney’s vehicle, then struck an ambulance and the truck involved in the earlier crash.

Gladney was extricated from his vehicle and taken to a hospital, where he died.

Brunson, 65, was charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and booked into the Boone County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

He was scheduled to appear in court for an initial hearing Monday at 1:30 p.m.