BARTON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a weekend arrest.

Just after 4p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to the Super 8 Motel, 911 Grant Street in Great Bend in reference to a suspicious subject on the property, according to a media release.

Upon Officers arrival, they made contact with the subject later identified as 35-year-old Leroy Bowers inside the business. He initially provided officers with a false name. Officers were able to identify Bowers, who was wanted on five warrants. Bowers was placed under arrest, and found to be in possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

Bowers was transported to the Barton County Jail, where he was booked and confined on his five warrants, along with his new charges.

He has previous convictions for burglary, theft and obstruction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He had been out of prison since December 2017.

 

HILLSBORO, Kan. —Six people were injured in an accident just before 8 a.m. yesterday in Marion County.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, a pickup driven by 19-year-old Samuel Charles Chambers, of La Cygne, was westbound on U.S. 56 and rear-ended an SUV driven by 37-year-old Virgilene Faith Weber, of Elmdale, who was waiting to make a left turn. An eastbound vehicle then struck the SUV. That vehicle was driven by 73-year-old Jean L. Winter, of Hillsboro.

Weber and passengers in the SUV 15-year-old Emma S. Box; 10-year-old Ava F. Box; and 2-year-old Wesley L. Weber, all of Elmdale were take to the hospital in Marion along with and Winter and a passenger in Winters car, 73-year-old Charlotte A Kennedy-Takahashi, of Hillsboro.

Chambers was not injured. All were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the the highway patrol.

INDEPENDENCE, Kan—  Police reported just after 1p.m. Monday that a cougar of the loose after escaping from the zoo has been captured. According to a social media media report from the Independence Kansas police department, the animal is safely back in its enclosure.

Authorities have not released details on the escape or where the animal was found. There have been no injuries reported.

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INDEPENDENCE, Kan. (AP) — Officials at a southeast Kansas zoo say a cougar is on the loose after escaping from the zoo.

The cougar escaped Monday morning from Riverside Park and Ralph Mitchell Zoo in Independence.

The zoo said in a news release that park officials and police officers are searching for the animal. They urged citizens to be cautious and not approach the cougar if they see it.

Details on how the cougar escaped have not been released.

Independence is about 113 miles southeast of Wichita.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has opened a review of options for expanding Medicaid in Kansas with warnings against work requirements and a limited expansion.

Kelly gave opening remarks Monday at the first meeting of a council she appointed to provide the Republican-controlled Legislature with policy guidance ahead of next year’s expected debate on the issue.

Kelly said she wants the council to develop “guiding principles” for lawmakers. She described work requirements and a limited Medicaid expansion as ideas that haven’t worked well in other states.

The governor took office in January pushing to expand the state’s Medicaid health coverage for as many as 150,000 additional residents. An expansion plan passed the House, but conservative GOP leaders blocked it in the Senate, expressing concerns about its potential costs to the s

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a child and have made two arrests.

Just after 11a.m. Sunday, police responded to a residence in the 1100 Block of Munnell in Wichita where a two-year-old boy was not breathing, according to Captain Brent Allred. Despite efforts by police, fire and EMS crews, the child was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators found the child had extensive bruising all over his body. This led to the arrest of the boy’s mother Stephanie Avilas, 24, for alleged aggravated child endangerment and her boyfriend Bernardo Gonzalez-Mejia, 31, Wichita for alleged child abuse, according to Allred.

The mother had called 911. She was on an errand and not home at the time and the boyfriend had contacted her about the child not breathing. Gonzalez-Mejia and the 2-year-old were home alone at the time of the incident.

An autopsy is scheduled to determine the cause of death. That will determine if additional charges will be filed, according to Allred. He did not release the boys’s name.
Two other children in the home a 6-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl are in police protective custody, according to Allred.

There was one report from the Department of Children’s Familes in 2015 on the family. It did not involve abuse, according to Allred.

DONIPHAN COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) confirmed that the man injured Sunday, Sept. 22, during a fight at a party in Doniphan County has died from his injuries.

According to a media release from the KBI, Jason W. Pantle, 42, of Cummings, died Saturday at the University of Kansas Medical Center where he was being treated for head injuries following an altercation with other party attendees. He was transported by a family member to a residence in the 1600 block of Jayhawk Dr., in Atchison, where police and EMS were called around 4:20 a.m. Sunday morning. The injured man was transported by EMS to a local Atchison hospital. He was later transferred to a Kansas City area hospital where he remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Then, on Wednesday evening, Sept. 25, KBI agents served several search warrants and arrest warrants connected to the case. At 6 p.m., 44-year-old Scott A. Vandeloo, of Atchison, was arrested at 1712 Prairie View Rd. in Platte City, Mo. He was arrested for aggravated battery, and booked into the Platte County Jail.

At approximately 7 p.m., 22-year-old Brian A. Spillman Jr., of Atchison, was arrested for aggravated battery after surrendering at the intersection of Mineral Point Rd. and Monument Rd. in rural Doniphan County. Then, at around 8:30 p.m., Matthew C. Scherer, 30, of Atchison, was arrested for aggravated battery when he surrendered at the Doniphan County Sheriff’s Office at 219 S. Main St. in Troy, Kan. Both Spillman and Scherer were booked into the Leavenworth County Jail.

Assisting in these arrests were the Atchison Police Department, the Doniphan County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Platte County Sheriff’s Office. The Doniphan County Attorney is expected to prosecute the case.

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DONIPHAN COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) made three arrests Wednesday evening related to a fight that occurred at a weekend party in Doniphan County.

The KBI was requested by the Doniphan County Sheriff’s Office to assist in investigating a confrontation that occurred at a party at 159 Monument Rd. in Doniphan County on Sunday, Sept. 22.

During the overnight party, a 42-year-old white male received serious head injuries during an altercation with other party attendees. He was transported by a family member to a residence in the 1600 block of Jayhawk Dr., in Atchison, where police and EMS were called around 4:20 a.m. Sunday morning. The injured man was transported by EMS to a local Atchison hospital. He was later transferred to a Kansas City area hospital where he remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Then, on Wednesday evening, Sept. 25, KBI agents served several search warrants and arrest warrants connected to the case. At 6 p.m., 44-year-old Scott A. Vandeloo, of Atchison, was arrested at 1712 Prairie View Rd. in Platte City, Mo. He was arrested for aggravated battery, and booked into the Platte County Jail.

At approximately 7 p.m., 22-year-old Brian A. Spillman Jr., of Atchison, was arrested for aggravated battery after surrendering at the intersection of Mineral Point Rd. and Monument Rd. in rural Doniphan County. Then, at around 8:30 p.m., Matthew C. Scherer, 30, of Atchison, was arrested for aggravated battery when he surrendered at the Doniphan County Sheriff’s Office at 219 S. Main St. in Troy, Kan. Both Spillman and Scherer were booked into the Leavenworth County Jail.

Assisting in these arrests were the Atchison Police Department, the Doniphan County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Platte County Sheriff’s Office. The Doniphan County Attorney is expected to prosecute the case.
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Authorities have identified the runner killed by lightning as he was about to finish a 50 kilometer race in southeast Kansas.

Thomas Stanley, 33,  of Andover, was struck Saturday while competing in the race at the Elk City State Park, according to a social media post from Organizers of the FlatRock race. The park is about 150 miles southwest of Kansas City

Race Director Carolyn Robinson says many runners and officials tried to give Stanley CPR and first-aid, but were unsuccessful. Robinson says his wife was presented the medal he would have received. The couple had three children.

Friends have established a Go Fund Me page to assist the family.

His family described him in a statement as a “devoted husband, father, and friend.” Stanley worked for the nonprofit Kansas Leadership Center, which provides leadership training.

–The AP contributed to this report.

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY — One person died after a lightning strike Saturday at Elk City Park near Independence, Kansas, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

An investigation of the incident is underway and the sheriff’s office reported early Sunday they expected to release additional details including the identity of the victim on Monday after they had contacted family.

The victim was participating in a run at the park, according to the sheriff’s department.

GEARY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have made an arrest.

Just before 4:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a shooting and at the same time were notified of teen with a gunshot wound had arrived at Geary Community hospital, according to a media release.

The victim later identified as Coye Crane, 18,  Chapman, was airlifted to KU Medical Center in critical condition, according to the release.

Following an investigation, police determined the shooting occurred in the 200 Block of East 1st street in Junction City. Police have arrested Izek T. Jackson, 18, Enterprise; Javontez K. Brime, 18, Junction City and Malik O. Watkins, 19, Andover, on requested charges of aggravated robbery and conspiracy, according to the release.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal jury will decide whether the operator of a Wichita abortion facility had reasonable grounds to seek a protection-from-stalking order against an abortion protester.

Jury selection begins Monday in the federal lawsuit filed by anti-abortion activist Mark Holick against clinic operator Julie Burkhart.

The lawsuit stems from anti-abortion protests in 2012 and 2013 in front of Burkhart’s home and in her neighborhood. She subsequently got a temporary protection-from-stalking order against him that was dismissed two years later.

U.S. District Judge John Broomes has already thrown out some of the lawsuit’s claims, but left it to a jury to decide whether the facts constituted malicious prosecution.