High-speed chase ends in now-fatal crash, Coffeyville teen dies; Charges upgraded to murder
By Mariah Monsour, Shannon Becker
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COFFEEVILLE, Kansas (KOAM) — A 15-year-old girl has died following a high-speed police chase Friday, September 26, 2025 that began in Owasso, Oklahoma, and ended in Coffeyville, Kansas.
Serafina L. O’Connell, a passenger in an SUV involved in the crash, was transported to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, where she was pronounced dead on September 29, 2025. Family members were present at the hospital and have been notified.
The incident began around 4 p.m. on September 26, 2025, when the Owasso Police Department received a call about a theft at a local retailer. When an Owasso officer attempted to arrest one of the suspects, the suspect fled in a vehicle with another suspect, hitting and dragging the officer. The officer sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized.
A pursuit ensued, with several Owasso officers joining in. The suspects headed south on U169 before performing a U-turn through the median and fleeing north. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, joined the chase as it crossed through Collinsville, Oologah, Talala, Nowata, and south Coffeyville, Oklahoma, before entering Coffeyville, Kansas.
Owasso police said the suspects reached speeds exceeding 100 mph in unpopulated areas. The pursuit ended in Coffeyville when the suspects’ vehicle struck an SUV at the intersection of Patterson Boulevard and 8th Street. The suspects failed to yield at a stoplight, hitting the SUV on its passenger side. Both vehicles left the road and overturned.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol crash report, all involved suffered injuries. The two suspects were hospitalized and, once released, were arrested and taken to Montgomery County Jail.
Authorities are pursuing charges in both Kansas and Oklahoma.
Kansas (Montgomery County):
Tenisha Mayberry: first-degree murder in the commission of a felony; aggravated battery, knowingly causing great bodily harm or disfigurement; fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement by engaging in reckless driving.
Cortez Wasson Jr.: possession of marijuana; possession of drug paraphernalia; failure to wear a seatbelt (18+).
The Kansas Highway Patrol continue their investigation of the crash.
Oklahoma:
Tenisha Mayberry: assault and battery on a police officer; endangering others while eluding police; larceny of merchandise from a retailer; obstructing an officer.
Cortez Wasson Jr.: larceny of merchandise from a retailer; obstructing an officer.
The Owasso Police Department continues to investigate the case.
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