RENO COUNTY — A 29-year-old man arrested in November has just now been formally charged.

Kirk Surdi was arrested by sheriff’s deputies when he was arriving at the Sunflower Motel, 322 E. 4th, on Nov. 28.

Deputies took him into custody on an arrest and detain order for violating his parole.

While searching the motel room, officers found his wife, 29-year-old Michelle Nicole Surdi, and a pill bottle containing methamphetamine. Both were arrested for having a seller’s quantity of methamphetamine and a digital scale.

Kirk Surdi is now charged with possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute.

He has previous convictions for indecent liberties with a child, theft and burglary, and had been released from prison in August of last year.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A local man who was on probation for a number of charges associated with forgery and theft by deception is going to prison for just over a year.

Dylan Samms was convicted for the burglaries of the Tomahawk Oxford House, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, the Cosmosphere, and Hutchinson Community College — twice.

The crimes reportedly occurred on various dates from Aug. 31 to Oct. 15 of last year.

Judge Trish Rose denied a motion for a departure to some form of probation and ordered the 13-month sentence be served.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — This coming Tuesday, Jan. 22, the command staff of the Hutchinson Police Department will be at the Coffee Corner to meet with the public to answer questions and talk about concerns.

They will be meeting with attendees from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at the Coffee Corner, 128 W. 5th, on the corner of 5th and Adams.

If you have been wanting to meet new Police Chief Jeffrey Hooper, this will be your chance. The chief will be there with the three police captains and the director of dispatch.

*We corrected the date which is actually the 22 nd. We apologize for the error. 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A local man accused of murder in association with a fatal hit-and-run accident from 2017 entered pleas in the case Thursday.

The state amended count one from first-degree murder to second-degree murder and Taylor Lukone entered no contest pleas to that charge and two others, including failing to stop at an accident and interference with law enforcement.

He is now convicted of murder from an incident that occurred on Sept. 21, 2017, in the 1200 block of East 4th.

At around 1 a.m., officers were called to the report of a bicyclist who had been struck by a vehicle that fled the scene. He was later identified as 51-year-old Jose Lopez. Parts of the suspect’s vehicle were left at the scene of the collision, according to police.

Lukone was driving to get cigarettes and spotted Lopez riding his bicycle. He reportedly got angry over the way Lopez had supposedly treated his mother and others. Lukone intentionally struck Lopez, who was on his bike. Lukone then left the scene.

His car was found by police in front of a residence in the 800 block of East 6th. Lukone initially claimed his car had been stolen, but later changed his story and admitted he left it there.

Sentencing in the case is set for Feb. 15. The first count alone has a sentencing range between nine and 41 years in prison.

RENO COUNTY, Kan. — Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to 56th and Hendricks just before 10 p.m. Wednesday for a two-vehicle accident and found both vehicles resting northwest of the intersection.

Thirty-eight-year-old Steven Graham of Hutchinson told deputies that he was traveling westbound on 56th when he struck a vehicle traveling northbound driven by 23-year-old Amy Carroll of Sterling. Graham was evaluated by EMS at the scene and released with minor injuries.

Carroll was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center after being trapped in her vehicle. She had to be extracted by Fire District 3.

She apparently failed to stop at the stop sign.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A local woman was jailed for distribution of drugs after the police searched her residence Tuesday in the 1500 block of North Washington.

Minnie Widener is jailed for suspicion of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute within a thousand feet of a school, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.

According to statements made in court, Widener had a bag of meth in her bra at the time of the search. More small bags of meth and a scale were found in a bedroom.

Her son spoke in court and said she is disabled. Her son’s comments led Judge Joe McCarville to believe Widener was selling drugs to support herself.

Bond was set at $18,000. Widener will be back in court next week.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 51-year-old McPherson man was arrested around 2:20 a.m. Wednesday after he failed to stop for a Hutchinson police officer.

William Allen was driving his pickup in the 800 block of North Maple. The officer began to follow when Allen ran a stop sign at 9th and Maple. The officer then turned on his lights. Allen eventually crashed into a parked vehicle, then ran from the scene. He was found hiding from officers and taken into custody.

Officers then searched his vehicle and allegedly found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Potential charges include attempted felony flee or elude, felony interference with a law enforcement officer, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, driving on a suspended license, having an expired tag, no proof of insurance, and leaving the scene of an accident.

His bond was set at $7,450. Allen will be back in court Jan. 16.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — When new Hutchinson Police Chief Jeff Hooper was sworn into office, he talked about things he would like to implement here that were used at his previous job in Manhattan.

One change is having officers work fixed beats. Before this change, the department had the city broken up into six beats. The officers changed beats daily.

Chief Hooper believes that an officer focused on one beat can work on issues long term. The goal is for the officer to develop a better relationship with the citizens in their area. This will also help officers take ownership of their beat. Within the next couple of weeks, they will be introducing different beat officers.

Another change is a program that the chief enacted, the Repeat Offender Program or R.O.P.

This is not a program aimed at a person who just made a bad decision, according to officials. It is aimed at career offenders who prey on local citizens daily.

Hutchinson police now have an R.O.P. detective and several R.O.P. officers who work side-by-side with prosecutors to identify repeat offenders.

While this program is just in its infancy, they have already seen success. R.O.P. officers served a search warrant Tuesday on a repeat offender suspected of selling meth very close to HMS-8.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The drivers involved in a two-vehicle accident were both transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center Tuesday evening after they collided with each other at 3rd and Severance.

Twenty-one-year-old Lindsey Covert of South Hutchinson was cited for disobeying a stop sign. Her vehicle collided with one driven by 56-year-old Valerie Harper of Burrton.

The accident occurred just before 6 p.m.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 34-year-old man arrested on New Year’s Day on a charge of aggravated battery made a first court appearance Tuesday with his attorney.

Alex Zaharis is accused of battering the victim and causing great bodily harm.

In court, his attorney waived the formal reading of the charge, which is a level 4 person felony with a sentencing range between just over three years to more than 14 years in prison, depending on any past criminal history.

Zaharis will be back in court Jan. 23.