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J.M.

Age : 17

Gender : Male

Race : Black

Date : 10/21/2021

Location : South 5th Street West near Higgins Avenue

City : Missoula

County : Missoula

State : Montana

Agency : Missoula Police Department

Officer(s) :Unknown

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

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REASON WHY PURSUIT WAS INITIATED:
At approximately 11:37 p.m. on 10/20/2021, a Missoula Police officer observed a white Honda Civic traveling approximately 60–70 mph on West Broadway, where the speed limit was 25 mph. The officer attempted to stop the car for the extreme speeding. Driver Kemari Parks, 20, made a quick turn and continued driving away, and police escalated a pursuit.
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OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY:
On 10/20/2021, a Missoula Police officer attempted to stop the Honda after observing it traveling more than twice the posted speed limit on West Broadway. Parks initially managed to get away from the officer, but police subsequently located the Honda again. As officers approached, Parks accelerated through a parking lot with a 17-year-old boy riding as his passenger and police resumed the chase.
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During the pursuit, Parks drove through red lights and into opposing traffic while police continued chasing him through Missoula. The chase ultimately reached South 5th Street West near Higgins Avenue. Parks struck multiple parked vehicles before the Honda crashed. The 17-year-old passenger suffered catastrophic injuries; Parks suffered facial and head injuries but got out of the wreck and ran from the scene before police apprehended him.
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The teenager survived the initial crash and was transported for emergency medical treatment but died from his injuries the following morning, 10/21/2021. Contemporary court and news coverage consistently withheld his name, referring to him only as a 17-year-old passenger; the available records identify him by the initials J.M. His identity was not subsequently disclosed in the later publicly indexed criminal or parole records located.
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The initial reporting described Parks as facing vehicular homicide while under the influence, criminal endangerment and fleeing from a police officer. Later Montana Department of Corrections and Board of Pardons and Parole records establish that the final conviction offenses were negligent homicide, two counts of criminal endangerment and fleeing from or eluding a peace officer. Parks entered Montana State Prison on 08/31/2022.
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DISPOSITION:
Parks was initially held on $250,000 bail. His original prosecution included vehicular homicide while under the influence, but the final Montana corrections record lists negligent homicide rather than DUI vehicular homicide, together with two criminal-endangerment convictions and fleeing from or eluding a peace officer.
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Parks became eligible for parole on 10/21/2023. The Montana Board of Pardons and Parole denied parole in 2023, citing the nature and severity of the offenses, poor supervision history, the seriousness of the crime and need for programming. Parole was again denied in October 2024 because of poor institutional conduct and need for programming. By October 2025 and again in January 2026, the Board listed Parks as ineligible because of his conduct.
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No Missoula Police officer was criminally charged for the officer's role in initiating or continuing the pursuit.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Missoula Police Department did not publicly identify the officer who initiated and participated in the fatal pursuit.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.kpax.com/news/crime-and-courts/man-facing-charges-after-crash-kills-his-passenger
https://www.krtv.com/news/crime-and-courts/man-charged-with-vehicular-homicide-while-dui
https://www.kpax.com/news/crime-and-courts/man-charged-with-missoula-vehicular-homicide-appears-in-court
https://www.missouladailynews.com/investigation-underway-after-a-man-died-following-a-police-chase/
https://incarcernation.com/view-for-death-by-cop/entry/16276/?gvid=22268&pagenum=233
https://cor.mt.gov/LegislativeAgencyMaterials/2023/DOC-Committee-Materials/DOC.budgetcommittee.1.23.23.pdf
https://bopp.mt.gov/_docs/dispositions/2023/10-2023-Final-Board-Dispositions.pdf
https://bopp.mt.gov/_docs/dispositions/2024/10-2024-Final-Board-Dispositions-002.pdf
https://bopp.mt.gov/_docs/dispositions/2025/10-2025-Final-Board-Dispositions.pdf
https://bopp.mt.gov/_docs/dispositions/2026/01-2026-Final-Board-Dispositions.pdf