Highway police chase near Emporia leads to death of passenger

TOPEKA (KSNT)- A passenger of a vehicle fleeing from Kansas Highway Patrol was pronounced dead after a collision with a semi-truck. 

Emergency crews were called to the area of Road 145 and I-35 about 3 miles south of Emporia where 27-year-old Kejuan Cortez Shugart was killed after 22-year-old Adonis Keshawn Isaiah Dailey tried escaping highway patrol at around 10:15 p.m. Saturday before he reportedly rear-ended a semi-truck. 

Officials said they were chasing a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu when Dailey hit the semi from behind causing the vehicle to crash into the median several times. 

Dailey was taken to Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka with suspected serious injuries. Shugart was pronounced dead at the scene. 

It’s unclear as of now why Dailey attempted to evade highway patrol.