By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post
Law enforcement authorities are investigating two girls, residents at Saint Francis Ministries west of Salina, after a wild ride in an SUV.
Just after 6:30p.m. Monday, a 17-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl who were residents at Saint Francis Ministries, 5097 W. Cloud Street, grabbed a bag of personal items and clothing and ran out the door of one of the facility's buildings, according to Saline County Under Sheriff Brent Melander..
In the bag, the girls located keys to a 2016 Chevrolet Trax belonging to a female employee of Saint Francis Ministries. After the girls were in the SUV and had started it, the owner of the SUV saw the girls and jumped on the hood of the SUV while telling the girls to get out of her vehicle, Melander said.
Instead, the girls drove off the Saint Francis Ministries property and headed west on W. Cloud Street with the owner of the vehicle hanging onto the hood, pleading with the girls to stop, he said.
At some point, the driver slammed on the brakes and the SUV owner fell off. The driver then accelerated, running over the woman, Melander said.
The SUV continued westbound and was later located by an Ellsworth County deputy in the 1400 block of Foster Drive in Ellsworth. The girls were taken into custody without incident, Melander said.
The owner of the SUV was transported by EMS to Salina Regional Health Center with substantial but non-life-threatening injuries, Melander said.
The two girls were arrested on requested charges of Attempted murder in the second degree, Theft of a motor vehicle, Conspiracy, Criminal solicitation and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license
Melander said the girls took turns driving the SUV.
The Trax, valued at $17,000, was returned to Saline County by the Saline County Sheriff's Office, Melander said.
The girls are being held at the North Central Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Facility in Junction City.