HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a teen suspect from another state after a chase through Harvey and Sedgwick counties.
Just before 10:30 a.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the Chisholm Trail Shopping Center, 601 SE 36th Street in Newton, after a report of a person in a car acting suspicious around the businesses, according to a media release.
When the first officer arrived, the driver of the car immediately fled, intentionally striking the officer’s car on the way out of the parking lot.
Police pursued the suspect north on Kansas Avenue, onto U.S. 50 and then back south on Kansas Avenue. As the car entered Sedgwick County, assistance from Sedgwick County law enforcement was requested. At 85th Street North, the driver intentionally swerved and tried to strike a Valley Center Police car.
The chase continued for a short time on residential streets in Valley Center, where the suspect again struck the same Newton Police car, disabling it, before entering Interstate 135 southbound.
The suspect’s car had slowed considerably because of a flat tire but continued to flee. North of the 61st Street North exit, the Kansas Highway Patrol was able to successfully stop the car with a Tactical Vehicle Intervention, using the patrol car to force the suspect’s vehicle sideways.
The suspect was taken into custody without further incident and transported back to Newton.
The 17-year-old male suspect was wanted in Minnesota, and the car was determined to be stolen from South Dakota. The suspect is being held on requested charges including two counts of aggravated battery on law enforcement, four counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement, felony flee and elude while engaging in reckless driving, felony flee and elude in a stolen vehicle, felony flee and elude by avoiding tire deflation device, felony flee and elude while committing five or more moving violations, felony possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, minor in possession of alcohol, and numerous traffic violations.
Two Newton Police officers had minor injuries and were evaluated by EMS at the scene. The suspect was not injured.
Police continue to investigate what other crimes the suspect may have committed between the time the car was stolen and when he was arrested. The case will be presented to the Harvey County Attorney’s Office for review of charges