Highway Patrol arrests homicide suspect on I-35

Daekwon C. Giles, 22, Kansas City, was arrested Aug. 11 in a traffic stop on southbound I-35 at the 54 mile marker. According to the probable cause statement prepared by Trooper M. Neely, Giles was stopped for speeding and multiple lane violations. The trooper first observed Giles in a gray Ford Escape at the 57-mile marker in Daviess County, and clocked the vehicle’s speed at 96 mph.
Giles stopped on the exit ramp and then accompanied the officer to the patrol vehicle where he provided false information about his identity. When the ID photo did not match, the officer was able to identify the driver as Daekwon C. Giles by using a fingerprint scanner. Computer checks revealed a Johnson County felony arrest warrant for vehicle theft and several misdemeanor warrants, as well as a person of interest entry from Kansas City Police Department for felony vehicular assault. Giles had never been issued driving privileges and had two active suspensions for failure to appear.
When the felony warrant from Johnson County was confirmed active, Giles was placed under arrest and transported to the Daviess-DeKalb County Regional Jail. As the officer assisted Giles out of the patrol vehicle at the jail, he found a plastic bag on the floorboard which contained several pills consistent with Ecstasy.
During the roadside search of the vehicle, the officer also found a 9mm Glock 19 handgun with an extended magazine. When Giles’ passenger Safiyah K. Harrison claimed ownership of the gun, it was released to her. However, later review of in-car audio and video revealed Giles had asked Harrison to “take the rap” for the gun, as he said he could not get another gun charge. This information was discovered after Harrison had been released with the firearm.
On the following day, Aug. 12, Trooper Neely was contacted by the Kansas City Police Department who advised that Giles was a person of interest in a homicide. Harrison was then contacted at her residence and she turned over possession of the firearm, which was seized as evidence by the Kansas City Police Department. The firearm was sent for forensic analysis.
Giles has been charged with possession of controlled substance, D felony, endangering welfare of a child involving drugs, endangering welfare of a child creating substantial risk first degree, speeding, lane violations, no valid license, and failure to maintain financial responsibility. Bond was denied.
Also in the vehicle at the time of the arrest were two juvenile children. Both children were Harrison’s, however Harrison and Giles also had one child in common, a newborn.