A successful businesswoman was killed after a police cruiser crashed into her Audi SQ5, while the Missouri department involved has declined to release key details about the fatal collision.
Misty Leslie, 48, died on October 11 from injuries sustained in an early-morning crash in Independence, a suburb of Kansas City, police said.
Leslie was driving through an intersection at about 1:15am when a police SUV driven by Officer Arnold Matthew struck the passenger side of her 2022 Audi SQ5.
According to preliminary information released by police, Leslie, a much-loved single mother, allegedly ran a red light while Officer Arnold was responding to an emergency call.
Independence police have not disclosed the speeds of either vehicle. The department said, however, that Officer Arnold’s emergency lights and siren were operating when the crash occurred.
Leslie was transported to a nearby hospital, where she later died from her injuries, police said.
Officer Arnold was also hospitalized with injuries described as non-life-threatening. His current condition has not been made public.
The department has not said whether the officer was placed on leave or remains at work. A spokesperson told the Kansas City Star that his current employment status is “not an open record.”
Misty Leslie, 48, died on October 11 after an Independence, Missouri, police officer crashed his cruiser into her 2022 Audi SQ5
The Independence Police Department has faced renewed scrutiny over its record of deadly officer-involved traffic crashes, the newspaper reported.
Earlier this year, the department revised its policy on high-speed police pursuits in an attempt to reduce the number of crashes.
Under the updated rules, officers may not initiate pursuits over minor traffic offenses or violations of city ordinances.
The crash remains under investigation. The Daily Mail has contacted Independence police seeking additional information, while Leslie’s family has declined to comment.
Leslie is survived by her 21-year-old daughter, Emarea, whom she loved “deeply, fiercely, and completely,” according to her obituary.
She managed retail stores and operated her own photography business, but her loved ones said her “greatest role was being a mother.”
“Of all the titles Misty held throughout her life, being Emarea’s mom was the one that mattered most,” the tribute said. “The strength, determination, and love Misty carried will live on through her daughter.”
Leslie regularly visited Emarea at university and had recently attended her daughter’s 21st birthday celebration.
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Four days after the fatal crash, the college student posted a photograph on Facebook showing her with her mother at the party. “So happy I got to spend my 21st with you,” she wrote in the caption.
Leslie is survived by her 21-year-old daughter, Emarea, whom she loved “deeply, fiercely, and completely,” according to her obituary
A family friend responding to Emarea’s tribute said Leslie had been planning the milestone birthday celebration since at least August.
‘You were her world and every milestone she was celebrating YOU!’ the friend wrote.
Leslie’s best friend, Christel Meinhold, penned a heartbreaking tribute earlier this week in which she praised the businesswoman’s dedication to motherhood.
‘We were two strong, independent single moms who could handle anything, except, occasionally, our own lives,’ Meinhold said.
‘Our friendship was built on love, laughter, honesty, and reminding each other when we were being ridiculous.’
Leslie had many passions, including softball, baking, photography, cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs and caring for her dogs and hairless cat.
Her family said that her business, Everything But Weddings (EBW) Photography, allowed Leslie to combine two of her favorite things – ‘people and capturing the moments that matter.’
‘Through her camera, she preserved celebrations, milestones, smiles, and memories for others,’ her loved ones wrote.
Leslie was driving through an intersection around 1.15am when a police SUV driven by Officer Arnold Matthew struck her 2022 Audi SQ5 (file photo) on the passenger side
Leslie brought that same passion to her career in retail, which saw her serving as a District Manager with Signet Jewelers.
She was an ‘overachiever’ and always determined to succeed, the tribute said. She cared deeply about her job and brought ‘drive, high expectations, competitive spirit, and determination’ to the workplace.
Leslie was also a baptized Christian whose ‘faith was strong and personal.’ She demonstrated ‘God’s love and grace through the way she treated people.’
Despite the heartbreak, Leslie’s family says they have found comfort in knowing that her ‘last breath here became her first breath in Heaven, a place without pain or sickness and with everlasting peace.’
The entrepreneur’s loved ones added that their ‘lives are better because Misty was part of them.’