By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post
SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after he allegedly led police on a chase through multiple parts of Salina early Sunday, at speeds as high as 70-mph.
Just after 1:15 a.m. Sunday, an officer spotted a gold 2005 Pontiac Bonneville in the 400 block of N. Broadway Boulevard in Salina. The officer ran the license plate on the car and found that it had expired in November 2020, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester.
The officer attempted to stop the car near the intersection of N. Broadway Boulevard and University Place but the car took off, driving on many streets during the pursuit, Forrester said.
Officers attempted to deploy stop-sticks near the intersection of W. Iron Avenue/11th Street, but the car drove around them and headed toward W. Crawford Street, where it turned west. It then drove through the neighborhood north of Sunset Park and headed westbound on Franklin Street before heading south to W. Cloud Street, where it turned east, reaching 80 mph.
The pursuit ended when the car left the roadway and struck a tree near the intersection of E. Cloud Street and Lewis Avenue. The driver identified as Jesse Wray, 23, of Salina, exited the car and took off running northbound on Lewis Avenue. Police found him a short while later in the backyard of a residence in the 900 block of Russell Avenue.
Forrester said that when the car was searched, officers allegedly found drug paraphernalia, 67 grams of marijuana, and 30.3 grams of methamphetamine. Wray was arrested on requested charges of Possession of narcotics., Two counts of no drug tax stamp, Two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, Felony obstruction, Felony flee and elude. Failing to report an accident and Multiple traffic violations.
Wray has 5 previous drug convictions and also convictions for theft and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections.