By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post
Law enforcement arrested a Kansas felon after he allegedly led police on a chase through central Salina on Easter Sunday. That arrest led to the capture of a wanted Kansas felon.
Just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, an officer observed a Ford Expedition driving southbound on S. Fourth Street near the intersection with E. Mulberry Street. The driver allegedly turned his head so as not to be identified by the officer, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester. The officer also noticed that the back window of the SUV was broken out.
The officer began following the SUV. As they neared the intersection of S. Fourth Street and E. South Street, the officer observed that the temporary tag on the SUV seemed to be fabricated as the print on the tag was too small to read, Forrester said. The officer attempted to stop the SUV, but it took off.
Forrester said the pursuit went all over central and west-central Salina, sometimes at up to 60 mph.
At one point, the SUV was traveling eastbound through a utility access road between Kiowa Avenue and Cheyenne Avenue in west Salina. The SUV went through several fences and a clothesline and became disabled when it hit a tree in the backyard of 1426 Kiowa Avenue, Forrester said.
The driver of the SUV then fled on foot, leaving a 36-year-old woman passenger behind. Forrester said the woman told police that she had repeatedly asked the driver to stop and let her out, but he had refused.
A short time later, a panic alarm sent officers to a nearby residence in the 1300 block of Cheyenne Avenue. While they were talking with the female resident at the front door, the SUV driver, identified as Joshua Quested, 34, of Salina, fled out the rear of the residence, where officers were waiting to arrest him, Forrester said. When Quested was arrested, he allegedly was in possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.
Police arrested Quested on requested charges that include Felony flee and elude, Kidnapping, Felony obstruction, Criminal restraint, Aggravated burglary, Damage to property, Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia, No tax stamp and Numerous traffic violations.
While police were clearing the residence in the 1300 block of Cheyenne Avenue, they found Zachariah Humphreys, 35, of Salina, allegedly hiding in the residence. Humphreys was wanted on multiple requested charges. He is being held on requested charges that include Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor, Driving While Suspended, Interf w/LEO; obstr/resist/oppose misd warrant , Reckless Driving and Criminal trespass; Unknown circumstance, according to online jail records.