Phylicia Carson Osage Beach

Officer Phylicia Carson, a 33-year-old police officer and mother of six, tragically died in a high-speed chase in Osage Beach, Missouri. During the pursuit of a speeding vehicle early Saturday morning, Carson lost control of her patrol car, crashed into a tree, and her vehicle subsequently caught fire. The suspect, 23-year-old Christopher Aaron Bishop Wehmeyer, fled the scene and crashed his vehicle shortly after, leading to his arrest and charges under the new Valentine's Law, which imposes harsher penalties for fleeing law enforcement resulting in death. The community and the Osage Beach Police Department are mourning her loss, as it marks their first line-of-duty death in 30 years. Missouri Governor Mike Parson and Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe expressed their condolences to Carson's family and emphasized the sacrifices made by law enforcement officers. An investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol is currently ongoing.