Man who killed 19-year-old in 100 mph Merriam crash pleads guilty
MERRIAM, Kan. — On Wednesday, a man charged in a deadly crash on Shawnee Mission Parkway pleaded guilty.
Uconn Xavier Coleman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, aggravated battery, fleeing and eluding a police officer, and leaving the scene of a crash in June.
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According to court documents, Coleman was traveling 100 mph when he hit and killed 19-year-old Benjamin Kleczka.
The 19-year-old’s family told FOX4 they’re happy Coleman accepted the plea deal.
“We’ve been through so much through this,” sister Sarah Kleczka said. “I feel like it would have been harder on us to go through a trial and go through that whole process. I’m actually really happy that he accepted the plea deal.”
Kleczka and his girlfriend were stopped at a red light when Coleman hit their car, according to prosecutors.
The charging documents show a Merriam police officer tried to stop Coleman for speeding shortly before the crash. Coleman did not stop.
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The court documents show investigators reviewed traffic cameras in the area. The video shows Coleman’s car traveling so fast that it went airborne at one point and caused sparks to fly out from under it when it hit the pavement.
It also shows Coleman drove from Johnson Drive to Shawnee Mission Parkway in about 18 seconds. Investigators estimate he was driving about 100 mph at that time.
Kleczka suffered a serious brain hemorrhage and significant back injuries when his car was rear-ended. He died at a hospital.
Coleman told the officer at least twice that he was not drunk at the time of the crash, according to court records, but the officer said he continued to smile and giggle as officers waited on a search warrant to draw a blood sample.
Court documents show Coleman was also arrested for DUI in 2020 and again in 2022.
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Coleman’s sentencing is set for May 20. Kleczka’s family plans to be there.
“I believe he should be in jail longer just to keep him off the streets,” Kleczka’s father Mike Kleczka said. “He’s a danger to other people on the road. But we are happy that he signed, and we don’t have to go to trial over this, and that our whole family doesn’t have to endure that.”
