A 28-year-old Wichita man has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for a hit-and-run collision that killed a pedestrian last year, Wichita Eagle reported.
Sedgwick County District Judge Tyler Roush ordered Chance Flores-Leach to serve 62 months in prison on Friday. The sentence stems from the November 25, 2025, death of 68-year-old Henry Collins near the intersection of Central and Hillside.
The collision occurred around 6:45 p.m. in the 3100 block of East Central. Surveillance video from a local business captured the moments leading up to the tragedy, showing Collins attempting to jump out of the way after noticing the approaching van.
Collins fell onto the roadway and was subsequently struck by two other vehicles. He was pronounced dead at a Wichita hospital approximately 30 minutes after the series of collisions.
Flores-Leach pleaded guilty in September to one count of leaving the scene of an accident and one count of vehicular homicide, according to court records. While prosecutors originally charged him with second-degree reckless murder and failing to stop at an accident, the homicide charge was reduced to a misdemeanor as part of a plea agreement.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Roush addressed the defendant’s motivations for fleeing the scene. Flores-Leach told authorities he “freaked out and left” because he was driving with a suspended license, no insurance, and expired vehicle tags.
“I tried to swerve to miss Collins when I saw him in the street,” Flores-Leach told police, explaining his subsequent flight from the scene.
Despite the severity of the incident, Roush stated he believed Flores-Leach’s explanation regarding his fear and decided there was no reason to punish him more harshly than the plea deal dictated.
The circumstances surrounding the crash reveal a series of choices made in the minutes following the impact. Flores-Leach had been out picking up dinner on the evening of the accident. Instead of remaining at the site to contact emergency services, he drove home.
Once at his residence, Flores-Leach confessed to his wife that he had hit and potentially killed a pedestrian. It was only after an argument regarding his decision to leave the crash site that his wife contacted authorities, according to court records.
This case highlights the legal and personal consequences of fleeing an accident scene, particularly when the driver is operating a vehicle illegally. The transition from a potential murder charge to a misdemeanor homicide reflects the complexities of plea negotiations in the Kansas criminal justice system.
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