‘You are going to die’: Kansas City driver in high speed chase faces assault charge

A 38-year-old Kansas City, North, man has been charged in an domestic assault leading to a high speed police chase that ended in a rollover crash in the Northland.

The Clay County prosecutor has charged Paul Ryan Burns with with second-degree domestic assault, first-degree child endangerment and brandishing a handgun during an assault, according to court documents.

Kansas City police responded to the assault at about 7:15 p.m. Monday along Interstate 435 near North Mersington Avenue in Kansas City, North.

Arriving officers found the victim who told them that Burns had rammed her vehicle off the road, busted out her window and pointed a gun at her.

The victim told police that Burns then said, “this is the day that you are going to die.”

The victim told police that before the assault, Burns allegedly made repeated phone calls to the victim, but she ignored them. After work, she was driving west on Northeast Cookingham Drive when she spotted Burns’ truck heading the opposite direction.

The truck made a U-turn. They both merged onto I-435 and when the victim sped up, she noticed that Burns sped up too, eventually catching up to her, according to court documents.

The victim told police that Burns allegedly waved a gun toward her vehicle and then rammed the front of the driver’s side. The impact forced the victim’s vehicle off the road where it crashed into a ditch.

The victim told police that Burns allegedly exited his vehicle and used the handgun to smash the driver’s side window. He allegedly yelled at the victim as he tried to pull her out of the vehicle.

After the alleged assault, Burns then got back into his truck and left.

Officers noted that the victim had numerous lacerations to her face, head and left arm as well as glass in her eyes. A 15-year-old passenger in the car had a laceration to her left leg, according to court documents.

Officers also noted that the victim’s vehicle had damage consistent with being struck by another, including white paint transfer. The driver’s window was broken.

About an hour after the alleged assault, Clay County Sheriff deputies spotted Burns’ white 2015 Dodge Ram 3500 pickup near U.S. 169 and Missouri 152 highways and tried to stop him in regards to the alleged assault.

Burns allegedly fled from deputies, leading them and officers from other law enforcement agencies on a high-speed pursuit in the Kansas City area.

At times, speeds reached 120 mph and at one point Burns allegedly drove off road through a field to avoid capture, according to court documents.

The pursuit lasted about 45 minutes and ended in a rollover crash at I-435 and Northeast Shoal Creek Parkway. Burns was arrested and taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Police allegedly found a brown and black Taurus 9mm handgun in the debris field of the wreck as the pickup truck was being towed, according to court documents.

The victim told police that the day before the alleged assault, Burns had forced his way into her home and demanded guns. The victim told police that she gave him a rifle and a 9mm Taurus handgun after he allegedly signed a paper stating he took the guns. The handgun is registered in the victim’s name.

While being questioned by Kansas City police detectives, Burns allegedly told police that he had gone to the victim’s place of work on Monday but couldn’t find her.

He told detectives he later saw her on Cookingham and turned his truck around damaging it. He allegedly said that he had caught up with the victim and hit her vehicle on accident, which forced it off the road.

Burns also allegedly told police he forced open the victim’s window by striking it. While he allegedly told them that he had the handgun, he didn’t remember if he hit the window with the gun. Burns told detectives that he fled the scene and led police on a chase before crashing, according to court documents.

Burns allegedly admitted to being high on methamphetamine at the time of the incident, according to court documents.

Burns was being held in Clay County jail. A bond hearing has been set for May 18.