Driver dies after leaving road and crashing into tree off Swope Parkway in Kansas City

A driver died after crashing into a tree early Sunday in Kansas City.

Officers tried to stop a silver Chevrolet Trailblazer for a traffic violation near Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard and Benton Avenue, but the vehicle refused to stop and officers didn’t pursue it, according to Capt. Corey Carlisle, a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department.

The Chevrolet was later seen traveling at a high speed southbound on Swope Parkway before leaving the road and crashing into a tree near Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

The driver, who wasn’t wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Police said the incident was the fifth road fatality this year, compared to three at this time last year.