Second Suit Filed Over Triple Fatal Apparatus Accident in KCMO

A second wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against a firefighter and the city of Kansas City arising out of an apparatus-involved accident last month. The family of Tami Knight filed suit today in Jackson County Circuit Court.

Knight, 41, was a pedestrian who was struck after KCFD Pumper 19 collided with an SUV on December 15, 2021. Two occupants of the SUV, Jennifer San Nicholas and Michael Elwood, were also killed in the crash.

According to KSHB41, the lawsuit alleges that after Pumper 19 and the SUV collided, the vehicles hit a “black Ford F-150, a gray Dodge Caliber, a streetlight, a small tree and a bicycle rack, and traveled off the roadway onto the sidewalk, striking pedestrian Tami Knight and the building located at 4050 Broadway.” A copy of the complaint is not available but it reportedly names the apparatus driver and the city.

Elwood’s family filed suit against the driver and the city two weeks ago. Here is a link to more on that suit, including video news coverage.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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