Man was driving over 90 mph in crash that killed 2-year-old daughter, girlfriend, arrest documents say

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV/Gray News) - A 25-year-old man is facing charges after authorities said he was driving a car over 90 miles per hour Saturday when he was in a rollover crash that left two dead, including a toddler.

Derrius Tolson was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

A probable cause document obtained by KCTV said Tolson was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee westbound on Bannister Road when he ran a red light at the ramp for southbound I-435.

At the same time, a 2017 Honda Accord attempted to turn eastbound from the I-435 exit ramp onto Bannister Road.

The Jeep crashed into the Honda, causing the SUV to roll over multiple times before coming to a rest upside down.

An officer in the area said he had seen the Jeep and another vehicle speeding by. He said they appeared to be chasing or racing each other.

Police said Tolson’s girlfriend and 2-year-old daughter were in his vehicle with him when it crashed. They both died in the crash while Tolson suffered minor injuries.

Detectives said Tolson told him he had noticed a Chrysler 300 revving its engine at the intersection of Bannister Road and Blue Ridge Boulevard. He said he believed it was pacing him and he “accelerated 60 or 65 mph” in an attempt to get away from it.

While investigating the crash, officers said they noticed a car seat in the Jeep did not appear to be fastened to the seat properly.

Tolson reportedly told officers his daughter tended to undo the seatbelt in her car seat on occasion.

The speed limit where the crash occurred is set at 40 mph. A search warrant of the Jeep revealed it was traveling at a speed between 92 and 94 mph at the time of the crash.

Investigators also determined that the “accelerator was being fully depressed, the engine throttle was at a maximum of 99 percent and there were no brakes applied by Tolson during the event.”

Officials said they found a loaded firearm, marijuana and scales at the crash site.

Tolson reportedly told police he smoked recreational marijuana and had a “few hits” earlier that morning.

Tolson was booked into jail on a $100,000 bond.

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