Johnson County prosecutors have filed involuntary manslaughter charges against Chancie Adams, co-founder of Martin City Brewing Company, who is accused of driving the SUV involved in a 2020 crash with a freight train that resulted in the deaths of three men.
The crash occurred in a less densely populated area of southern Johnson County near a now-demolished vacant industrial plant just outside Overland Park.
Magistrate Wayne Smith recommended a $50,000 bond Wednesday for Adams, 45. He faces three felony counts of involuntary manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Three men killed in crash
The crash killed three men listed as passengers in the Jeep SUV driven by Adams.
Those who were killed included Kevin Corbin, 40, of Stilwell; Brenton Moroney, 37, of Overland Park; and Troy Hamlin, 40, of Overland Park.
Corbin and his wife, Jo Anna, were partners in the Martin City Brewing Company, according to Corbin’s obituary. He was also brother-in-law to Chancie Adams. He left behind two children.
Moroney was a vice president of an epoxy coating floor refinishing company, and Hamlin was in construction. Moroney was survived by three children, and Hamlin by two children.
Train hit SUV driven by Adams
On Oct. 10, 2020, according to the Kansas Motor Vehicle Crash Report filed at the time, the four men were traveling east toward Mission Road on a one-lane road on private property in about the 16630 block of Mission Road.
The road they were traveling intersected with railroad tracks marked with stop signs.
They were hit by a northbound Union Pacific train going about 50 miles an hour, the report said. All four were ejected from the vehicle, which suffered catastrophic damage.
The crash happened at 6:35 p.m. under dry, daylight conditions, according to the report.
The crash report also noted Adams had a blood alcohol level of 0.15%. The legal limit in Kansas currently is 0.08%.
Two victims were reported dead by first responders at the scene, and a third later succumbed to injuries at Overland Park Regional Medical Center, according to the report.
Crash victims’ widows make statement
Jo Anna Corbin, Jessica Moroney and Christine Hamlin, widows of the crash victims, released a statement this week after learning of the charges against Adams.
“While we continue to feel devastated by our immense loss, we feel a sense of encouragement that justice will prevail and accountability will be taken by Chancie Adams for his actions resulting in the deaths of our beloved husbands, Kevin Corbin, Brent Moroney, and Troy Hamlin,” the statement said.
“We continue to appreciate the way the community has respected our privacy and supported our families through this trauma and grief,” they concluded.
District Attorney Steve Howe declined through a spokesperson to comment on why charges from a 2020 crash are only now being filed.
The crash occurred in an open area near the abandoned Kuhlman Die Casting plant that, before its demolition in 2022, was frequented by urban explorers and curious school children.
Although it was unclear that the abandoned property played a role in the crash, the three men’s deaths added urgency to ultimately successful efforts to raze the Kuhlman property.
