Excelsior Springs, Mo. (Feb. 16, 2025) – Authorities have identified the driver involved in the high-speed crash that sent a vehicle airborne and into the roof of the Clay-Ray Veterans Hall as 22-year-old Calen D. Hollis Jr. a registered sex offender from Olathe, Kansas. Hollis, along with two 13-year-old female passengers, sustained serious injuries in the wreck, which occurred early Saturday morning.
According to a press release from the Excelsior Springs Police Department (ESPD), officers observed Hollis’s vehicle, a gray 2025 Volkswagen Jetta, near the intersection of 10 Highway and McCleary Road at approximately 1:30 a.m. on February 15. Officers noted the vehicle’s erratic movements and suspected the driver might be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
When officers activated their emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop, Hollis immediately accelerated, fleeing eastbound on 10 Highway/Kearney Road at speeds exceeding 100 mph. The vehicle continued onto Linwood Avenue and launched off a bluff near Wildwood Street, clearing St. Louis Avenue before crashing through the roof of the Clay-Ray Veterans Hall at 208 Veterans Memorial Drive.
Hollis’ Criminal History and Charges
Hollis, a registered sex offender in Kansas, has a criminal record that includes previous sex-related offenses. According to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation’s offender registry, Hollis had prior convictions under Kansas Statute 21-5506, which covers offenses related to indecent liberties with a child.
Prosecutors in Clay County, Missouri, have formally charged Hollis with:
- Two counts of Aggravated Fleeing a Stop or Detention – Causing Physical Injury
He is currently in custody at the Olathe, Kansas Police
Department, awaiting extradition to the Clay County Missouri Detention Center. Authorities have stated that additional charges may be forthcoming as the investigation continues.
The two 13-year-old girls in the vehicle suffered serious injuries and were transported to local hospitals. Authorities are continuing to investigate how Hollis came into contact with the minors, whether any additional crimes were committed before the crash, and if child endangerment or other charges will be filed.
Police have not yet confirmed whether Hollis was under the influence at the time of the crash, but toxicology results are pending.
Damage to the Clay-Ray Veterans Hall
The Clay-Ray Veterans Hall sustained massive structural damage from the impact and has been closed indefinitely. Authorities are still determining the full extent of the damages and whether the building can be repaired.
Read our Previous Coverage of this story at the following links:
Vehicle Goes Airborne From Wildwood, Lands Inside Veterans Association
New Details: Fleeing Driver in High-Speed Crash Was a Sex Offender With Two Underage Girls
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