Missouri, USA: Police Officer and Mother of Six Killed During High-Speed Pursuit: ‘Unspeakable Tragedy
Phylicia Carson, a 33-year-old Missouri police officer and mother of six, tragically died in the early hours of August 31st after her vehicle skidded off the road and caught fire during a high-speed pursuit.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:18 AM local time when Officer Carson, on duty with the Osage Beach Police Department, observed a vehicle speeding on U.S. 54 near Passover Road in Camden County. According to Police Chief Todd Davis, Carson activated her emergency equipment and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the driver accelerated, prompting a pursuit.
The chase continued until 1:34 AM, when Carson’s vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a tree, and ignited. She was pronounced dead at the scene. “Officer Carson perished in the crash,” an emotional Davis stated during a press conference, noting that she had been with the department since June 2023.
Officer Carson leaves behind her husband and six children. “Please keep the Carson family, our department, and our community in your thoughts and prayers as we work through this tragic event,” Chief Davis urged.
The vehicle being pursued eventually crashed at around 1:42 AM. Camden County Prosecuting Attorney Richelle Grosvenor described the incident as “an unspeakable tragedy” during the press conference. The driver, identified as 23-year-old Christopher Aaron Bishop Wehmeyer, is currently being held without bond.
This tragic event marks the first line-of-duty death in Chief Davis’s 30-year tenure with the department. The Missouri State Highway Patrol and Governor Mike Parson also expressed their condolences, with the Patrol stating, “We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Osage Beach Police Officer Phylicia Carson, who lost her life in the line of duty.”
Carson’s death comes just days after Missouri passed the new Valentine’s Law, which imposes stricter penalties on those who flee from law enforcement, creating substantial risk or causing injury or death.