Thursday morning police chase ends with a crash

Posted: October 8, 2015 - 4:37pm

A police pursuit of two aggravated burglary suspects that began in Kansas City, Kan., ended in Shawnee early Thursday morning.

Contributed photo of the crashed suspect vehicle

According to Kansas City, Kan., police, the chase began in the 4100 block of North 110th Street at about 2:45 a.m. after someone called police reporting that someone was trying to break into their house. Officers responded to the scene and the suspects were seen driving away.

Officers pursued the suspect's Buick Rendezvous onto Interstate 70, where speeds reached 110mph according to radio traffic. The suspect's then led officers to southbound Interstate 635, where a Kansas City, Kan. officer was able to get spike strips down in front of the vehicle, causing one of the front tires to go flat. The chase then exited at Metropolitan Avenue and travelled west to Holliday Drive, passing Lake Quivira. The pursuit continued into Shawnee and the driver lost control at Wilder Road where the road curves to cross several sets of railroad tracks.

Shawnee police said that the vehicle crashed under the railroad bridge and caught fire.

Operation 100 News video from the scene, not for broadcast

Firefighters from Shawnee and Kansas City, Kan. responded to the scene to extinguish the fire.

Radio traffic from officers reported that one suspect ran from the crash scene. A second suspect, who was injured in the crash, stayed at the scene and was quickly detained by officers. The injured suspect was transported by Johnson County Med-Act to the University of Kansas Hospital with serious injuries.

Kansas City, Missouri detectives near the crash scene in Shawnee
Click image to view larger
Mike Frizzell - Operation 100 News photo
Additional photos below report

Shawnee police searched the wooded area, Mill Creek Streamway Park, and the northern edge of the Deffenbaugh Landfill with K-9 units for several hours Thursday morning. Officers called off their search around 7:30 a.m. with no sign of the suspect.

Shawnee police were not involved in the pursuit, Maj. Dan Tennis said. However, according to Amber Thomas-Hickerson with the Kansas City, Kan. police, Shawnee police and Kansas City, Mo., police were investigating the burglary as well in connection to other burglary cases in their cities.

Captain Tye Grant with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department confirmed to Operation 100 News that detectives from the department's property crimes unit were working with Kansas agencies on a burglary investigation.

Just after 9:30 a.m., radio traffic indicated that a man matching the description of the second suspect was seen near the scalehouse at the main entrance to the Deffenbaugh landfill. Reports indicated that the man was spotted by landfill security, who called police describing a black male dressed in dark clothing and only wearing one shoe. Shawnee officers arrived quickly and spotted the man running towards the river. Police arrested him near the entrance to Deffenbaugh landfill, according to scanner reports.

BNSF maintenance crews responded to the crash scene to check the structural integrity of the bridge before allowing rail traffic to resume. The bridge was reopened just after 5:30 a.m.

Officers from five agencies were involved in the initial search for the suspects after the crash. Those agencies included Shawnee Police, Lenexa Police, Kansas City, Kan. Police, Kansas City, Mo. Police, and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Police.

A railroad worker inspects the bridge for damage after police left the scene
Click image to view larger
Mike Frizzell - Operation 100 News photo

The crash scene after sunrise
Click image to view larger
Mike Frizzell - Operation 100 News photo

Check back with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, more than 90 minutes before any other media outlet. Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

Media notification available
All comments are moderated. Inappropriate and/or abusive comments will not be published. More information.

Burglary suspect rams Shawnee police vehicle, leads officers on 40-mile chase

Posted: October 14, 2014 - 3:44am
Updated: October 15, 2014 - 12:10am

Bent push bumper on the K-9 vehicle
Photo released by the City of Shawnee
Click to view larger

Shawnee Police are investigating after a K-9 officer's vehicle was backed into by an aggravated burglary suspect early Tuesday.

At 2:08 a.m. the officer reported that his patrol vehicle had been "rammed" in the parking lot of the QuikTrip at 20605 Shawnee Mission Parkway.


Sgt. Tom Lynch said in a news release that the officer, "observed a white Ford Edge that has been reported used in several aggravated burglaries and criminal use of financial cards in Shawnee and other cities in Johnson County."

According to Sgt. Lynch, "the officer notified Shawnee dispatch he would be checking on a suspicious vehicle, and the white male driver of the Ford Edge backed up and rammed the patrol car, while the officer was inside the vehicle."

The driver of the Ford Edge fled the parking lot eastbound on Shawnee Mission Parkway from Woodland Road at speeds well over the posted speed limit. The suspect turned onto southbound Interstate 435 where he accelerated to 110 miles per hour in his attempt to elude officers.

Two Shawnee police officers continued to pursue the vehicle across the state line into Kansas City, Missouri.

Shawnee officers reported "damp roads" as they passed Holmes Road and continued to the east side of the Interstate 435 loop and northbound towards Interstate 70.

The suspect led officers onto eastbound Interstate 70, passing the Truman Sports complex at around 100 miles per hour.

Kansas City, Missouri officers were able to catch up and join the pursuit east of Blue Ridge Cutoff.

Shawnee officers continued in pursuit as the suspect took the ramp from eastbound I-70 to Noland Road and then immediately re-entered eastbound I-70, to avoid spike strips laid by Independence, Missouri officers.

Other Independence officers were able to get spike strips down in front of the suspect vehicle as they reached the western city limits of Blue Springs, Missouri.

With the vehicle's tires deflating, the chase slowed to around 20 miles per hour as they approached Northeast Adams Dairy Parkway. The vehicle came to a stop just to the east of Adams Dairy Parkway and the driver was taken into custody without further incident.

Google map with the pursuit's path marked in blue.
Click map to view larger

The pursuit covered about 40 miles, in just over 30 minutes.

Sgt. Lynch says the pursuit was for aggravated battery against a law enforcement officer.

"Neither the suspect, the officers involved, nor any civilians were injured in this incident," Sgt. Lynch said in the news release.

Shawnee officers were assisted by several other agencies including: Kansas City, Missouri Police, Jackson County, MO. Sheriff's Office, Independence Police, and Blue Springs Police.

Several Johnson County agencies attempted to assist in the pursuit. However, due to Shawnee officers initially calling the pursuit on an encrypted radio channel, few officers were able to monitor the approaching chase and did not have enough time to get in place ahead of the suspect vehicle.

Operation 100 News has been able to confirm that the suspect vehicle was displaying a switched license plate and the driver was wanted in connection to at least two aggravated burglaries in Johnson County.

The suspect is being held in Jackson County, Missouri Jail and has not been formally charged in Johnson County, Kansas.

Bent push bumper on the K-9 vehicle
Photo released by the City of Shawnee
Click image to view larger

Check back with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

Operation 100 News shared the details of the pursuit in real-time on Twitter, sharing more than 40 updates with followers.

Media notification available

All comments are moderated. Inappropriate and/or abusive comments will not be published. More information.

Missing woman found in northern Lawrence

Posted: July 28, 2014 - 5:05am
Updated: July 28, 2014 - 10:46am

Lawrence Police have located a 41-year-old woman reported missing just before 2 a.m. Monday. The woman was found at about 7:20 a.m. near a tree line south of and behind K-Mart Distribution Center, 2400 Kresge Road, by an on-duty LPD patrol officer.

LDCFM arrived on scene and treated her for minor abrasions. She was released to workers from CLO, an organization that works with people who have developmental disabilities, who were on scene and was taken home. The woman was reported missing shortly before 2 a.m. from the area of North Iowa Street and Riverridge Road.

Officers said the woman was nonverbal and had last been seen in the 600 block of N. Wrigley Lane around 1:45 Monday morning wearing a tank top, pajama bottoms, socks and no shoes.

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

Media notification available

All comments are moderated. Inappropriate and/or abusive comments will not be published. More information.

One killed, another critical in tractor-trailer crash on I-70 in Leavenworth County

Posted: March 29, 2014 - 3:40am
Updated: March 29, 2014 - 10:42pm

Lawrence Journal-World & Operation 100 News report-

LifeStar helicopter after landing in the eastbound lanes of I-70
Kansas Turnpike Authority traffic camera photo, KanDrive.org

A 30-year-old Aurora, Colo., man was identified as the driver killed early Saturday morning after his tractor-trailer crashed into a Kansas Turnpike tollbooth at the Tonganoxie interchange on westbound Interstate 70.

Sergiy Angelchev died at the scene of the crash, which occurred just before 3 a.m. Saturday, according to a Kansas Turnpike Authority accident report.

Meanwhile, a turnpike authority official said Saturday that a passenger, Roman Ilyaich, 25 of Aurora, Colo., is in critical condition after being airlifted from the scene and taken to a Kansas City-area trauma center.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reports two men were in the truck that hit the tollbooth at highway speeds, never slowing down before crashing. The truck's cab wrapped around the tollbooth and the engine landed about 50 yards from the tollbooth. The tollbooths that the truck hit are not manned by personnel.

Around noon turnpike officials said the terminal was down to one lane westbound because of the accident investigation and advised motorists to expect delays. The turnpike authority is still investigating the accident and expects delays as it continues to direct traffic through the toll booth's K-tag lane.

A turnpike official meanwhile said it is still not known for whom the men worked.

Firefighters and medics were dispatched to the toll plaza just after 3 a.m.. near milepost 217 for an injury accident involving a tractor-trailer.

Kansas Troopers arrived to report one person, later identified as Angelchev, had been ejected from the truck and was unconscious. A second injured person, Ilyaich, was still inside the truck cab with critical injuries. Angelchev died at the scene and Ilyaich transported to Kansas University Medical Center.

A LifeStar helicopter landed in the eastbound lanes of I-70, temporarily blocking several lanes through the toll plaza for a short time. Those lanes reopened around 4 a.m. All westbound lanes were closed before re-opening around 5:45 a.m. Lanes closed again around noon for the investigation.

At the toll plaza, both left and center westbound toll lanes are blocked and drivers must use the K-tag lane.

The westbound toll plaza's center cement barriers are demolished and there are no skid marks on the road. The cab appears to have split the barriers and wrapped itself around the tollbooth.

The truck was hauling garden hoses. Hundreds are strewn across a 50-yard area at the scene among the debris.

Troopers asked a Highway Patrol helicopter to respond to the scene after sunrise to photograph the accident scene from above.

The tractor-trailer cab wrapped around the tollbooth
Richard Gwin/Lawrence Journal-World photo
Click image to view larger

The heavily damaged tractor-trailer after the crash
Richard Gwin/Lawrence Journal-World photo
Click image to view larger

Damaged concrete barrier and tractor-trailer wreckage
Lawrence Journal-World photo
Click image to view larger

All structural supports under the toll plaza are bent, middle booth demolished
Lawrence Journal-World photo
Click image to view larger

The truck's engine landed about 50-yards from the tollbooth
Lawrence Journal-World photo
Click image to view larger

Related reports:

Operation 100 News report on LJWorld.com
Operation 100 News report on ShawneeDispatch.com

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

Media notification available
All comments are moderated. Inappropriate and/or abusive comments will not be published. More information.

High speed pursuit starts in Wyandotte County, through Johnson County and into Missouri

Posted: November 23, 2013 - 1:31am
Updated: November 23, 2013 - 4:15am

Mapquest.com map showing the approximate pursuit path.
Click map to view larger

Around 12:30 a.m., Troopers attempted to stop a speeding vehicle, sparking a nearly 40 mile pursuit.

The pursuit started in Wyandotte County near Interstate 435 and Interstate 70 when Kansas Turnpike Authority Troopers tried to stop a Ford Taurus that was seen in excess of 90 miles per hour on the interstate. Troopers pursued the vehicle southbound on Interstate 435 into Johnson County, through Shawnee and into Lenexa.

The suspect exited at 95th Street in Lenexa, wound through a business park and then back to I-435.

Speeds accelerated to nearly 100 miles per hour while northbound on I-435 and back into Shawnee, where the vehicle exited at Midland Drive and took off westbound. Troopers lost sight of the vehicle on Midland but, Shawnee officers spotted it westbound on Shawnee Mission Parkway. The vehicle then turned northbound on Monticello and then eastbound on Johnson Drive.

Shawnee police attempted to spike the vehicle's tires as it passed Barker Road, however the attempt was unsuccessful.

The vehicle continued back to Interstate 435 where it went southbound. The chase stayed on I-435 all the way to Kansas City, Missouri. At the state line, Kansas Troopers ended their pursuit and Kansas City, Missouri officers took over. Those officers reported that the vehicle exited at Holmes and then continued north to Bannister Road, where officers lost sight of it.

At last check, this vehicle has not been located.

The chase covered about around 40 miles in approximately 35 minutes. No law enforcement officers were injured and no patrol vehicles were damaged.

Another chase Saturday morning started in Lawrence, Kansas after an aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. That chase also went into Kansas City, Missouri where three people were taken into custody.

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

Media notification available
All comments are moderated. Inappropriate and/or abusive comments will not be published. More information.

Zip tie robber apprehended following high speed chase and shootout

Posted: May 24, 2013 - 1:31am
Updated: May 24, 2013 - 5:28am

Updated report: Charges filed in Halftime Liquor Store robbery; additional charges pending

File image

A source familiar with the investigation tells Operation 100 News that an early morning car chase led to the arrest of a suspect in at least 14 robberies across five cities.

The most recent robbery occurred Thursday night at the Halftime Liquor Store, 15810 Shawnee Mission Parkway in Shawnee.

Police say they were called to the business around 8:35 p.m.. Two officers happened to be right in front of the store as the robbery took place. Those officers pursued the suspect vehicle into Kansas City, Kansas. Those officers lost sight of the vehicle but, remained in the area with Kansas City, Kansas Police to watch for the vehicle.

Shawnee Police say two victims of the liquor store robbery were placed in a cooler prior to the suspect leaving the business. No injuries were reported.

Two earlier Shawnee robberies occurred at the Temp Stop convenience store, 13515 W. 63rd Street, on May 9th and again on May 14th. Both times a clerk, working alone, was approached by a man with a gun. After the clerk complied with the suspect's demands, the suspect handcuffed the clerk with zip ties and ran from the scene. Both times the suspect description was similar and included dark clothes, a bandanna over his face with sunglasses. Since the robberies, Shawnee Police have stepped up patrols around Temp Stop and other 24-hour convenience stores in the city.

At 12:15 Friday morning, Kansas City, Kansas Police reported spotting the vehicle that was seen fleeing the liquor store robbery. The driver of the black Chevrolet Cobalt refused to stop when police attempted to conduct a traffic stop near Interstate 435 and Leavenworth Road. Instead the driver sped away, into oncoming traffic on Interstate 435. The suspect was southbound in the northbound lanes of the interstate, police did not pursue.

The vehicle was spotted again southbound on 94th Street, just south of State Avenue. Kansas City, Kansas Police lost sight of the vehicle between Interstate 70 and Kansas Avenue.

Shawnee Police were watching Interstate 435 for the suspect to possibly make his way back south. This preparation paid off for police when an officer at Interstate 435 and Johnson Drive spotted the vehicle traveling southbound.

The officer began to pursue the suspect car as they merged onto westbound Shawnee Mission Parkway from Interstate 435. Speeds were reported to have reached 110 miles per hour on Shawnee Mission Parkway, just before Monticello Road.

Police continued to pursue as the driver turned onto northbound Kansas Highway 7, where speeds increased to around 120 miles per hour. The chase continued into Bonner Springs and back into Wyandotte County.

Four Shawnee Police officers remained in pursuit of the vehicle as they approached Kansas Avenue, where the vehicle ran a red traffic signal, around 100 miles per hour.

The driver then took the ramp from Kansas Highway 7 to eastbound Interstate 70. This is where Police reported the vehicle had spun out. Officers boxed the vehicle in and reported "shots fired."

No officers reported injuries in the exchange of gunfire. The suspect continued to flee, in the vehicle, now westbound in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70. Police say the vehicle traveled about 1.5 miles in the wrong direction before being involved in an accident. A source tells Operation 100 News the vehicle was disabled when it crashed into a FedEx truck on Interstate 70.

The suspect took off  on foot from the crashed vehicle. By this time, the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department's helicopter was overhead and followed the man as he attempted to flee. The helicopter located the suspect a few blocks south of the crash scene, laying on a dock on a small pond. He was taken into custody around 12:40 a.m..

A source familiar with the incident tells Operation 100 News that the suspect was found to have a single gunshot would to is left forearm, just below his elbow. Bonner Springs EMS transported the man, in police custody, to the University of Kansas Hospital. His injuries were not believed to be life threatening.

Police continue to investigate the officer involved shooting scene at Interstate 70 and Kansas Highway 7.

In a statement released just after 3:30 a.m., Shawnee Police say that the description of the suspect in the liquor store robbery was similar to other recent robberies in the city. At this time police are not officially confirming any relation between this suspect and the Temp Stop robberies earlier this month.

Shawnee Police say that detectives are working closely with the Bonner Springs and Kansas City, Kansas Police Departments to investigate this incident in its entirety. Additional information is expected to be released throughout the day.

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

Media notification available

All comments are moderated. Inappropriate and/or abusive comments will not be published. More information.

DgCo Weather: Winter WX Advisory issued

Posted: December 19, 2011 - 4:40am
Updated: December 20, 2011 - 4:16pm

CANCELLED: December 20, 4:15 a.m. More information on cancellation.

The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for wintry precipitation. The Advisory will go into effect at 12:00 a.m. Tuesday morning and remain in place until 6:00 p.m. Tuesday evening. The previous Winter Storm Watch has been canceled.

The advisory area includes the Kansas counties of Douglas, Lyon and Osage. Cities include; Lawrence and Emporia.

Click map to view larger

Forecasters now say that rain will begin to develop Monday morning and transition to snow late Monday evening into Tuesday. Total snow accumulations of one to three inches is expected in the advisory area. Periods of light sleet and freezing drizzle are also expected overnight into Tuesday morning. Winds are expected to be from the north to northeast and 15 to 25 miles per hour with gusts to around 35 miles per hour.

Hazardous driving conditions from snowfall and ice accumulations as well as reduced visibilities are also possible, according to the National Weather Service in Topeka.

Click to view image full size
Released: December 19,  10:48 a.m.

Click image to view full size
Released: December 19, 4:35 a.m.

More from the City of Lawrence can be found here.

Attention News Media LINK

Winter Weather Watch, Douglas County, CANCELED

Posted: December 18, 2011 - 4:30am
Updated: December 19, 2011 - 4:35am

The National Weather Service in Topeka has CANCELED the Winter Weather Watch. The watch area did include the city of Lawrence and all of Douglas County.

The watch goes into effect Monday, December 19th at 6:00 p.m., and will remain in place until Tuesday, December 20th at 6:00 p.m..

Shaded area is under the watch
Click image to view larger

Forecasters say that rain and snow are expected to develop Monday and transition to snow Monday evening into Tuesday. Accumulating snow is expected to end by late Tuesday afternoon.

Total snow and ice accumulations are possible in the range of four to eight inches. Light accumulations of sleet and freezing drizzle may also occur.

Winds are expected to be between 15 and 20 miles per hour with gusts to 30 miles per hour.

Drivers should expect possibly hazardous driving conditions due to heavy snowfall and ice accumulations and reduced visibilities.

View more on this Watch from the National Weather Service office in Topeka, Kansas.

Attention News Media LINK

KHP releases Holiday Weekend activity numbers

Posted: December 1, 2011 - 12:21pm
Updated: December 1, 2011 - 2:51pm

Related Story: Stepped up Holiday Enforcement

The Kansas Highway Patrol has released its Thanksgiving Weekend Holiday activity. The activity reporting period began at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23rd and ran through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 27th.

Preliminary numbers indicate that it was a fairly safe weekend on Kansas roads, with the Patrol working no fatal crashes, according to a news release.

Activity

2011

2010

Total Fatal Crashes

0

2

Total Fatalities

0

2

DUI Related Crashes

3

4

DUI Related Fatalities

0

2

DUI Arrests

24

32

Speed Citations

1,400

1,505

Speed Warnings

1,245

1,527

Adult Seatbelt Citations

342

531

Adult Seatbelt Warnings

118

53

Teen Seatbelt Citations

9

21

Teen Seatbelt Warnings

2

3

Child Restraint Citations

39

34

Child Restraint Warnings

7

9

Motorists Assisted

1,426

1,251

Over the holiday weekend, the Kansas Highway Patrol was participating in the Special Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), which began November 21, and ran until November 27. The Kansas Department of Transportation provided a grant for the additional enforcement.


Attention News Media LINK

Stepped up Holiday Enforcement

Posted: November 20, 2011 - 3:24am
Updated: November 20, 2011 - 4:00am

Preliminary results from KHP regarding this enforcement effort. Released: December 1, 2011 LINK

Law Enforcement throughout the Douglas and Johnson County area are participating in the Kansas Thanksgiving Traffic Enforcement Campaign. The campaign will begin Monday, November 21 and last through Sunday, November 27, 2011. A grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation will enable area law enforcement to have more officers present on area roadways to aggressively enforce Kansas traffic laws. Officers will be looking especially for impaired drivers and for children, teens, and adults who are not legally and properly secured with a seat belt or child safety restraint system.

According to KDOT, the Thanksgiving holiday weekend (Wednesday-Sunday) commonly outranks all other holidays in its number of alcohol related crashes. Those driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, endanger not only themselves, but also their passengers, other motorists, and pedestrians. Across Kansas, six persons - most of them innocent - are killed or injured in nine alcohol-related crashes each day. KDOT says compared with non-alcohol-related crashes, vehicle occupants in alcohol-related crashes are over two and a half times more likely to be injured or killed. Each week across Kansas over 300 drivers are arrested for driving under the influence. 

Failure to take the time to buckle up is also responsible for needless death and maiming. Those who do not buckle up are about 12 times more likely to be killed and almost twice as likely to suffer injury as those who do buckle up. Even worse is the fact that the injuries suffered by those who are unbuckled are likely to be much more severe or disabling than those suffered by an occupant who is properly restrained. According to KDOT, which tracks all crashes in the state, crashes are most likely to occur within a short distance from home.

Area law enforcement reminds the public that if you are going to be drink, always designate a non-drinking driver. Make arrangements ahead of time.

Information provided by:

• Lawrence Police Department
• Olathe Police Department
• Kansas Highway Patrol
• Kansas Department of Transportation

Attention News Media LINK

Sunflower Showdown Saturation Patrol

Posted: October 21, 2011 - 10:27am

The Kansas Highway Patrol has announced that they will be conducting saturation patrol on Saturday, October 22.

Troopers are anticipating the added traffic on the Turnpike of Jayhawk and Wildcat fans along with regular travelers passing through the area. Extra Troopers will be in the area assisting with traffic control and then a post-game saturation patrol.

Lieutenant Scott Harrington says that drivers who are coming to Lawrence using westbound Interstate 70 use the West Lawrence exit (exit 202) due to ongoing construction of a bridge off the East Lawrence exit (exit 204).

After the game has ended, the Highway Patrol will be conducting a RAVE saturation patrol. RAVE is short for Roving Aggressive Violation Enforcement and is an effort to help reduce the number of impaired drivers on the roads and encourage safe driving practices. The Highway Patrol conducts a RAVE saturation patrol when troopers converge on a specific area with the primary focus on the detection of impaired drivers. This Saturday's RAVE deployment will be funded by an Impaired Driving Deterrence Program (IDDP) grant, courtesy of the Kansas Department of Transportation.

The Kansas Highway Patrol advises travelers to be prepared for delays, remain patient and always designate a sober driver.

Attention News Media LINK