KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A 28-year-old man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter stemming from a fatal crash that happened Tuesday night. The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office charged Joshua Brazeal with the crime, and also charged him with aggravated battery of a woman who was a passenger in the vehicle he wrecked as well as other traffic offenses.
Geraldine Strader, 79, died of injuries she sustained in the crash in the 3800 block of Haskell Ave.
Police said she was driving a Toyota Camry and was ejected after being involved in the crash after Brazeal allegedly stole a Cadillac Eldorado. Brazeal is also accused of fleeing the scene after the crash.
Geraldine’s family is now left with fond memories of a woman who’s being remembered in reverent tones.
“Oh my God, my mom was a wonderful person. She was always on the go, she had a lot of energy and she had a lot of friends,” said a bright-eyed Kathleen Brandt about her mother Geraldine. “I just can’t say enough about her. She loved her family. She was very healthy. We always thought she’d outlive all of her kids.”
Brandt, who along with her three brothers, are suddenly mourning their mother.
Relatives say shortly after 4 Tuesday afternoon she had just left her home near 38th Street and Haskell In Kansas City, Kan. when Brazeal, of Fort Scott, Kan., allegedly slammed into Geraldine’s Toyota Camry.
She suffered critical injuries after being thrown from her car. About four hours after the wreck the beloved mother, avid quilter, former foreign language teacher and retired KCK librarian died at the hospital.
“It’s just a shocker. You just don’t expect your mother to go that way,” Brandt said.
“I came outside and I saw this young, Caucasian male running and limping across my backyard and so I yelled, ‘hey!’ but he turned around and just kept running,” said Sheila Chandler, who lives near the crash scene.
“I just couldn’t believe it. I looked down and saw this woman just lying there. I lost it. She was dying right before me. All I could do was pray for her, but I knew it didn’t look favorable, ” added Chandler.
Cops later caught an injured Brazeal and took him to the hospital.
Prior to the accident police had attempted to stop Brazeal in the 1800 block of Central Avenue. He did not stop and sped away. Police said the officer did not give chase.
The accident remains under investigation by the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department’s Traffic Support Unit/Critical Collision Response Team (CCRT). Brazeal is in custody in KCMO and will have a court date when he’s extradited to Kansas. His bond is set at $500,000.
