Tonganoxie man found guilty of killing son in 2022 DUI crash

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Tonganoxie father, Shane Michael DeGraeve, 35, was found guilty on Thursday of second-degree murder charges after killing his 9-year-old son and leaving two children injured in a car crash on April 4, 2022.

DeGraeve, who was also charged and found guilty of three counts of aggravated endangering of a child and driving under the influence, was responsible for a single-vehicle crash that occurred in a rural Leavenworth County.

According to investigations from the Leavenworth County Sherriff’s Department and the Kansas Highway Patrol, DeGraeve was speeding in the area of Easton Road and K-92 when his pickup truck rolled after driving into a ditch and hitting a sign.

DeGraeve’s son was ejected from the passenger seat of the truck — which was found to have two seatbelt ‘silencers’ used to prevent occupants from buckling after further investigations. The boy later died in the hospital.

Two kids were also in the backseat of the truck and taken to a hospital for treatment, according to a press release from County Attorney Todd Thompson.

The release also said that law enforcement smelled alcohol coming from DeGraeve’s breath, as well as other signs of impairment.

When questioned, DeGraeve told law enforcement he was run off the road, but witnesses and evidence countered these statements, according to investigators.

According to the release, DeGraeve’s blood alcohol level was .083. The legal limit in Kansas is .08.

“Driving is a privilege, not a right,” said Thompson. “There are rules, especially rules regarding impaired driving and the safety of those in your vehicle—especially the safety of children. Vehicles have seatbelts for a reason, and parents have responsibilities. No one should ever drive while impaired.”

DeGraeve is facing a minimum sentence of 109 months to a maximum of 493 months for the second-degree murder charge. His hearing is scheduled for May 31, according to the Leavenworth County Attorney’s Office.

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