Man gets 10-year sentence for killing KCPD officer, K-9 and pedestrian
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Jackson County judge ruled on Wednesday afternoon that Jerron Lightfoot, a 20-year-old man from Tonganoxie, Kansas, will serve a 10-year prison sentence for the deaths of Kansas City Police Officer James Muhlbauer, K-9 Champ, and victim Jesse Eckes in a 2023 crash.
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Lightfoot pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter back in February. According to a news release, prosecutors asked the Jackson County judge for a 10-year sentence while Lightfoot’s attorneys sought probation.
“We are very satisfied with the outcome, and we will continue to live day to day and see where the next chapter takes us,” said wife, Cassie Muhlbauer.
“I felt like he should have definitely taken responsibility,” Muhlbauer said. “Currently, I don’t think I can forgive him, but maybe in time.”
In the courtroom, the judge discussed how embedded the concept of time was in this case and in the evidence and how every person in the room felt the devastating impact of that day.
The judge said it was deeply concerning how fast Lightfoot was driving and ignoring stop lights, traffic signs, and commands.
“There are so many hearts broken, so many people hurt today, and I don’t exclude you, but the difference for you is that you do have a future,” the judge said. “You have choices. You get to choose to do better, to be better, to learn from this, to make you a better person, but not to let it define. You need to grow.”
Court records say the crash occurred on East Truman Road and Benton Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri. When arriving at the scene, officers saw a man, later identified as Lightfoot, standing by a white Ford Fusion involved in the crash. The other vehicle in the crash was a marked police car.
In the driver’s seat of the car, police saw Officer Muhlbauer unconscious while his K-9, Champ, was dead in the back seat. According to the release, Muhlbauer had a seatbelt on and was transported to a hospital where he later died.
While on the scene, officers found a second person, Eckes, who was also killed in the crash.
The release said, “Eckes had recently found housing and was known for his generosity.”
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Court records also said there was video footage of the crash, which showed Muhlbauer driving eastbound through a green light in an East Truman Road intersection. Lightfoot, who was speeding and headed southbound on Benton Boulevard, did not stop at the intersection’s red light and collided with the car.
The release said Lightfoot’s car was checked after the crash. Its ACM system showed the car’s brakes were working and that Lightfoot was driving 85 mph or more just before the crash.
While Lightfoot pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter, his sentences are set to run concurrently.
Kansas City Police Chiefs Stacey Graves released this statement after Lightfoot’s sentencing:
“The Kansas City Missouri Police Department and I will continue to be there and support the Muhlbauer family as they navigate this tragedy.
I am thankful for the efforts of the Jackson County Prosecutors who worked tirelessly throughout this criminal proceeding. I also have the greatest admiration for the Traffic Division Detectives and Investigators who had the unenviable task of investigating the death of their friend and co-worker, his K-9 partner, and the innocent bystander who all lost their lives in this senseless tragedy.”
