Robert E. Love Jr. charged with murder in Jackson County traffic crash death of Topekan Shai Boyd

Tim Hrenchir, Topeka Capital-Journal
·2 min read
A man faces a murder charge in the death of a woman who was riding in the car he was driving when he crashed while being pursued by law enforcement.
A man faces a murder charge in the death of a woman who was riding in the car he was driving when he crashed while being pursued by law enforcement.

An Auburn man faces a first-degree murder charge in the May 2021 death of a Topeka woman who was riding in the car he was driving when he crashed while being chased by law enforcement.

Shawnee County Sheriff's deputies arrested Robert Eugene Love Jr., 44, Sunday in Shawnee County on an outstanding Jackson County District Court warrant charging him with crimes that included first-degree murder linked to the death of Shai Lorene Chantel Boyd, said Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.

Boyd, 26, of Topeka, was killed in a two-vehicle crash during the late evening of May 27, 2021, at the intersection of 286th Road and US-75 highway in northern Jackson County, Morse said. That's about seven miles north of Holton.

More:Woman convicted in fatal crash

Four other people were injured but survived. A Kansas Highway Patrol accident report identified them as Love, Love's passenger — Ciara N. Evertson, 19, of Topeka — and the other vehicle's occupants, Scott W. Ditch, 56, and Sara L. Ditch, 41, both of Topeka.

Morse said the crash occurred after a Holton police officer in that city tried to pull over a Dodge Avenger driven by Love, who failed to stop and led the officer on a chase going north out of Holton on US-75 highway.

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office assisted with the pursuit as the fleeing car went east from US-75 onto 254th Road, north on W Road and west on 286th Road before it failed to stop at a stop sign and entered the intersection of 286th and US-75, Morse said.

More:Sydney Prine, 23, dies after her car hits a vehicle along an icy highway south of Holton

The eastbound car Love was driving collided at that intersection with a sport utility vehicle driven by Sara Ditch, who was southbound on US-75, according to a Kansas Highway Patrol accident report.

Morse said Love was being held Monday in the Jackson County Jail at Holton on a Jackson County warrant charging him with three counts of aggravated battery while driving under the influence and one count each of first-degree murder, speeding, reckless driving, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, interference with a law enforcement officer, driving on a suspended license, driving while a habitual violator, driving on the left in a no passing zone, making an improper or unsafe turn, illegally displaying a license plate and failure to yield at a stop sign or yield sign.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Auburn man faces murder charge in traffic crash death of Topeka woman