Kansas U.S. Army soldier charged in connection with crash that killed off-duty cop

A 19-year-old man was charged in connection with a vehicle crash that killed an off-duty Clearwater police officer in March.

Gage Kaiser, 19, of Arkansas City, was charged earlier this month with involuntary manslaughter while under the influence and two other counts of aggravated battery, a complaint filed in August shows.

The charges stem from a vehicle crash that occurred in the early hours of March 16 near Mulvane. The collision killed 26-year-old Clearwater police officer Scott Hollingsworth, who was off-duty and heading home.

Kaiser was driving a 2013 GMC Sierra truck with three passengers when he failed to yield at a stop sign and struck the driver side of Hollingsworth's car, officials said.

Hollingsworth died at the scene of the crash. All three passengers in the truck were taken to the hospital with injuries. Kaiser was not taken to the hospital.

Kaiser is a U.S. Army soldier who was stationed at Fort Riley since February 2024. He holds the rank of private second class, Fort Riley public affairs officer Jefferson Grimes said in an email.

Sedgwick County Jail records show Kaiser was booked into jail on Wednesday and remains there as of Saturday. He made his first appearance in court on Thursday. His next scheduled appearance is set for Sep. 30.

Hollingsworth had just marked his one-year anniversary with the Clearwater Police Department. He was a husband of nearly five years and had a 2-year-old daughter named Claire.

Standing at 6 foot, 9 inches tall, Hollinsgworth was described as a gentle giant , his father told The Eagle.

"With Scott, you know, when he would give you a hug, he would just envelop your whole body," Gregory Hollingsworth said. "There's just never a time that you felt uncomfortable around him. He was a gentle giant."

Police officer killed on his way home after work, Kansas officials say