WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – The Wichita Police Department (WPD) arrested Kevin Palmer, of Wichita, 34, on a manslaughter charge.
At approximately 12 pm on Saturday, police responded to a call from a gray Ford Escape traveling west on Kellogg on Meridian by dragging a woman. Police officers located the Ford Escape in Kellogg and West Street with a 13-year-old woman trapped outside the vehicle and pronounced dead.
The investigation revealed that the woman was sitting at the rear of the Escape on the driver’s side while he was parked in front of a nearby restaurant. Her family went to the restaurant to fetch food while she was in the vehicle. Palmer sat in the driver’s seat and fled in the vehicle. The female tried to get out of the vehicle as it moved. When she left, she was stuck in the seat belt outside the vehicle. Palmer continued to flee for several kilometers.
A citizen saw the deadly situation, called 911 and followed the vehicle. At Kellogg and West Street, Palmer interrupted the Escape and escaped on foot. Palmer was quickly arrested by police who took the call.
“This is one of the saddest cases I have been associated with in my more than 28 years of law enforcement,” said Chief Gordon Ramsay. “The WPD sends its thoughts and prayers to family, friends and others affected by this tragic incident.”
The investigation is ongoing and the case will be brought to the Sedgwick County Prosecutor’s Office. In addition, Palmer has already been convicted of several criminal crimes.
The case numbers associated with the cases are 21C007528 and 21C007542.
The Wichita Police Department received calls on Saturday at noon from a woman who was reportedly dragged by a car near Kellogg and West.
Police say the woman was in the back seat of a family car when she was taken by a suspect. She tried to escape the vehicle, but was still strapped in, leaving her to be dragged back.
The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect is in custody and the investigation is ongoing.
If anyone has any information about this case, you can call the WPD detectives at 316-268-4407, the See Something Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.
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