For Immediate Release

Nov. 10, 2020

A Kansas City man who fled from police and crashed into another vehicle near 47th and Raytown Road, killing the driver and injuring a 3-year-old passenger, has pleaded guilty to three felony counts and has been sentenced to 18 years in prison, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.

Miguel Ayala, dob: 9/18/1987, pleaded guilty to Murder 2nd Degree, Resisting Arrest and Driving While Intoxicated. Ayala was initially charged in February 2020 with Resisting Arrest and Driving While Intoxicated. A Jackson County Grand Jury later added the Murder 2nd Degree charge. Ayala entered his guilty plea on Monday and was sentenced by a Jackson County judge.

According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched to the area of 51st and Hedges in Kansas City on Feb. 19, 2020 in the evening and observed a man sitting in the driver’s seat of a Chevrolet Tahoe. A woman there said he had attempted to strike her with the vehicle. Officers pursued the suspect, who refused to stop and failed to observe a posted stop sign. The suspect’s vehicle reached high rates of speed and placed the public in danger. At 47th and Raytown Road, the suspect’s vehicle struck a gray 2005 BMW. The driver of the BMW was injured, as well as a 3-year-old child in the vehicle, who was in a child safety seat. The defendant acknowledged he had been drinking and a test of his blood showed an elevated alcohol level.

Assistant Prosecutor Attorney Lauren Whiston prosecuted the case on behalf of the state of Missouri.

For more information, contact:

Michael Mansur

Director of Communication

Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office

Jean Peters Baker, Prosecutor

Work   : (816) 881-3812

Mobile: (816) 674-3954

mmansur@jacksongov.org

http://jacksoncountyprosecutor.com

*Charges are only accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the defendant is either found guilty or has pleaded.