High Tech Equipment Aids Deputies with DWI Arrest

Late Wednesday just after midnight, a dramatic chase unfolded near N.E. Parvin Road and N. Belmont Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, when Clay County Deputies combined teamwork and technology to apprehend a suspected drunk driver.

It all began when a Traffic Safety Unit deputy attempted to pull over a vehicle traveling without headlights—a telltale sign of impaired driving. Instead of stopping, the driver sped away, nearly colliding with another car headed northbound. Moments later, the suspect lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the back of a parked semi truck's trailer.

Not content to surrender, the driver abandoned his car and fled on foot into Worlds of Fun. Security staff at Worlds of Fun quickly sprang into action, reviewing surveillance footage to track the suspect’s movements inside the park. Their efforts provided law enforcement with a rough estimate of the suspect's location.

Deputies then deployed a drone equipped with heat-sensing technology, giving officers a real-time thermal image of the area. The drone’s advanced imaging capabilities allowed law enforcement to pinpoint the suspect’s whereabouts within the sprawling grounds of Worlds of Fun. Officers from multiple agencies, including the Claycomo Police Department, Pleasant Valley Missouri Police Department, Gladstone MO Police, and Kansas City Missouri Police Department responded swiftly, coordinating to surround the park and ensure the suspect had nowhere to escape.

After a thorough search, officers apprehended the suspect without further incident. Subsequent testing revealed that the driver’s blood alcohol content was well above the legal limit. Police identified the suspect as Reginald L. Finch, 22, who now faces several charges, including aggravated fleeing a stop, driving while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of an accident.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.