Month: August 2016

KCK woman pleads guilty in robbery at Stilwell bank

A Kansas City, Kan., woman pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges that she took part in an armed robbery at a Stillwell bank before the robbers led police on a high speed chase with a child in the car, acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

Danille Morris, 26, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. She admitted she cased the bank, provided the getaway car and was in the car when the robbers fled the bank.

Two co-defendants already have entered pleas.

Gary Jordan,39, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction.

Co-defendant Jacob L. Smith, 18, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery.

In their pleas, Jordan and Smith admitted they were armed with handguns when they entered the First National Bank at 7460 W. 199th St. in Stilwell, Kan. They held tellers at gunpoint before fleeing with cash stuffed in a backpack. Jordan took the wheel of the getaway car.

During the next 25 minutes, the robbers were pursued by the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Leawood Police Department and other law enforcement agencies as they fled across the Kansas-Missouri state line.

During the chase, Smith fired at officers six times from the car. After the car overturned on a sharp turn, the defendants were arrested. Throughout the chase, co-defendant Morris and her 19-month-old child were in the car. She was seated in the front passenger seat at the time the vehicle crashed. The child was fastened in a car seat in the back seat.

Morris is set for sentencing Dec. 20. The crimes carry the following penalties: Up to 25 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 for robbery, not less than 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 for discharging firearms in a robbery, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 for unlawful possession a firearm by a felon.

Beall commended all the agencies that assisted in the investigation including the FBI, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Leawood Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, as well as the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley.

T-Bones lose series finale in extras

Kansas City took Sioux City 11 innings Sunday afternoon but ultimately fell, 5-4, after a bases loaded infield single at Lewis and Clark Park in Sioux City, Iowa.

With the game tied at 4-4, T-Bones reliever Johnny Shuttlesworth allowed a lead-off double to Tim Colwell in the bottom of the 11th. After Ino Patron sacrificed Colwell to second, Shuttlesworth (3-5) walked the next two batters — one intentionally to load the bases — with one out.

Bryan Johns stepped in and found himself behind in the count before hitting a dribbler back to the mound. Third baseman Jimmy Mojica charged and threw home but the throw brought T-Bones catcher Steve Swingle off the plate, giving the Explorers’ the 5-4 victory.

Kansas City went into the ninth inning trailing the Explorers 4-3. Sioux City closer Connor Overton came in for the ninth one day after taking the loss to the T-Bones.

Brett Wiley and Mojica led off with a walk and a single. With Tyler Massey batting, a wild pitch advanced both runners to second and third. After Massey struck out, Jake Blackwood sent a fly ball to left field that scored Wiley on the sacrifice fly, his sixth RBI of the series, tying the game at 4-4.

The T-Bones threatened in the 10th, putting two runners on against Sioux City reliever Hobbs Johnson. Starlin Rodriguez walked but was tagged out after Vladimir Frias grounded into a fielder’s’ choice. Frias was picked off for the third out. Johnson (1-1) stayed in the for the 11th and allowed one baserunner but also picked him, giving the Explorers a chance in the bottom half of the inning.

Kansas City’s offense came alive in the sixth. Trailing 4-1, with Massey on first after a lead-off walk, Anthony Gallas smashed his 12th home run of the season, pulling the T-Bones to within striking distance at 4-3.

In the eighth the T-Bones threatened but could not capitalize with the bases loaded. Gallas hit a one out double, and was followed by Tyson Gillies, who slapped a single that advanced Gallas to third. Rodriguez stepped in but popped out to Patron who made a nice play by reaching over the T-Bones dugout railing. After Frias loaded the bases by walking, Swingle struck out swinging. The T-Bones stranded 10 runners in the game.

Kansas City (30-42) returns to CommunityAmerica Ballpark for a seven game home stand that starts Monday evening at 7:05 against the Lincoln Saltdogs. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones

Portland beats Sporting KC, 3-0

The Portland Timbers struck three times in the final 25 minutes to hand Sporting Kansas City a 3-0 defeat Sunday afternoon at sold-out Providence Park in Portland, Ore.

Diego Valeri, Jack Jewsbury and Fanendo Adi found the back of the net as Sporting Kansas City (10-11-4, 34 points) dropped to fifth place in the Western Conference and saw their road winless streak hit 10 regular season matches. Portland (8-8-8, 32 points) leapfrogged Vancouver Whitecaps FC into the sixth and final playoff spot, claiming their first victory in the regular season series in six tries.

Seven days after Sporting Kansas City defeated Portland 1-0 at Children’s Mercy Park, manager Peter Vermes made one change to his lineup in Sunday’s rematch. Left back Jimmy Medranda served a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation and was replaced by veteran Seth Sinovic, who logged his 150th career appearance in the MLS regular season.

Providence Park provided a riveting atmosphere as Sporting Kansas City revisited the site of the epic 2015 Western Conference Knockout Round, a 2-2 draw in which Portland won an 11-round penalty shootout. A cagey first half produced no goals, though both teams lost their influential defensive midfielders through straight red cards. Portland’s Diego Chara received his marching orders in the 12th minute after extending his hand to Benny Feilhaber’s face, while Mustivar was ejected in the 39th minute for a high challenge on Valeri.

A numerical advantage for most of the first period allowed Sporting Kansas City to enjoy 73 percent possession and earn eight corner kicks, two shy of the club record for most in a half. Yet the visitors’ best chance of the opening stanza came in the 10th minute with both sides still at 11 men, when Saad Abdul-Salaam’s blistering attempt was palmed over the bar by Jake Gleeson.

Captain Roger Espinoza was booked two minutes after the restart for a foul on Alvas Powell and will join Mustivar in missing Sporting Kansas City’s next match on Saturday at FC Dallas, serving a one-game suspension for caution accumulation.

The Timbers drew first blood in the 65th minute, finally breaking a remarkable 546-minute scoreless spell against Sporting Kansas City that dated back to 2013. Ike Opara headed Vytautas Andriuskevicius’s in-swinging cross only as far as Valeri, who struck the ball cleanly with the outside of his right boot to finish low past Alec Kann from 18 yards.

Seeking an equalizer, Vermes’ men came agonizingly close to restoring parity multiple times in the late stages. Espinoza’s delightful clip to the back post found substitute Chance Myers in the 79th minute, and though the defender was able to round Gleeson, a tight angle prevented him from pulling the trigger.

Less than a minute later, Feilhaber found Zusi with a pocket of space at the top of the box. Zusi, who was introduced early in the second half for his 200th career MLS appearance (including playoffs), curled a one-time strike narrowly high of the crossbar.

The hosts added two late goals, but not before Sporting Kansas City squandered its best chance of the day. Zusi’s back-heel pass in a crowded penalty area rolled kindly to Jacob Peterson, who pulled a right-footed effort inches wide of Gleeson’s far righthand post. Shortly thereafter, Diego Rubio’s snap header was pushed wide by an outstretched Gleeson.

Portland made their opponents pay for the missed chances in the 87th minute when Darlington Nagbe did wonderfully to set up the team’s second goal. The U.S. international cut past multiple defenders before laying the ball off to Jewsbury near the penalty spot. The former Kansas City midfielder made no mistake, firing the ball high into the roof of the net to seal the result and tally his first goal of 2016. Adi added a third in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, powering into the box before slotting low into the right corner.

Sporting Kansas City continues its Western Conference road swing next Saturday against first-place FC Dallas (13-6-5, 44 points). Oscar Pareja’s side sit atop the Supporters’ Shield standings and boast a 9-0-3 record at Toyota Stadium, where they have outscored opponents 25-7. The game will kick off at 8 p.m., with three hours of live television coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. on 38 The Spot and SKCTV.

– Story from Sporting KC