Missouri Officer’s SUV Collides with Businesswoman’s Audi, Killing Misty Leslie

Misty Leslie, a 48-year-old entrepreneur and single mother, was killed after a police cruiser driven by Officer Arnold Matthew collided with her 2022 Audi SQ5 at about 1:15 a.m. in Independence, Missouri. Police report that Leslie entered the intersection on a red light while the officer, responding to an emergency call with lights and sirens activated, struck the passenger side of her vehicle. Leslie was taken to a hospital where she later died; the officer suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.

The Independence Police Department has withheld details such as vehicle speeds and has not clarified whether the officer has been placed on leave. The crash adds to the department’s recent history of deadly officer-involved traffic incidents, prompting ongoing investigation. Leslie is survived by her 21-year-old daughter Emarea and was known for running a photography business and a retail management career.