Dodge City police officer wasn’t using lights and sirens before deadly crash, cops say

A western Kansas police officer who crashed his patrol vehicle into a car, killing its driver, while responding to an emergency call was not using lights and sirens.

The wreck happened early Saturday morning as Cpl. Shane Harris was responding to a break-in in progress call, law enforcement officials said. Vanessa Guzman drove into the path of the patrol vehicle, and the resulting collision rolled her car over a guardrail. She was ejected as the car rolled and died of her injuries.

The Dodge City Police Department said Tuesday in an update on the case that the officer was not using lights and sirens. The officers responding to the original break-in report downgraded the emergency response from lights and sirens due to information they received while en route.

The officer’s body-worn camera recorded what happened prior to the accident, police said, and the department is conducting an internal investigation. The Kansas Highway Patrol is the primary agency investigating the wreck.

“Our heartfelt and deepest condolences go out to Ms. Guzman’s family, friends, and loved ones who have been impacted by this tragedy,” police officials said in a statement.

Guzman, 26, was pronounced dead at the scene despite attempts from officers to provide first aid. Harris, 31, was taken to Western Plains Regional Medical Center with a suspected minor injury. The crash happened at around 4:56 a.m. at the intersection of Wyatt Earp and Matt Down Lane.

This story was originally published January 28, 2020 at 6:08 PM.