HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson man who led law enforcement on a high-speed chase through parts of Hutchinson and into Reno County Monday evening made a first appearance where he was told of the potential charges.

Dominic Vargas faces charges including felony flee and elude, aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer and possession of drugs, drug paraphernalia and criminal possession of a weapon, that being some brass knuckles.

In court, he asked for a bond reduction and Magistrate Judge Cheryl Allen bluntly said “no.” She cited the fact that, during the chase, he put many in danger, including law enforcement and even himself. Bond stayed at $37,500.

It started a little before 6 p.m. when he was spotted getting gas in South Hutchinson. Officers knew he had warrants. Reno County Sheriff Deputies and South Hutchinson Police officers attempted to stop the Tahoe truck.

He had the active warrant as well as a parole violation through the Kansas Department of Corrections. Vargas refused to stop for initial officers and attempted to elude them. He drove into Hutchinson where Hutchinson Police officers took part in the chase. Vargas continued to flee into the county with speeds at times from 90 to 100 mph.

At the intersection of U.S. 50 and Haven Road, a Sheriff deputy lost control and rolled his vehicle into a field. He was wearing his seat belt and airbags deployed. He was later transported by another sheriff deputy to Hutch Regional Medical Center where he was checked out and released.

The chase continued south on Haven Road for approximately five more miles where a Haven Police Officer had a tire deflation device deployed. Vargas drove off the roadway again to avoid the device when deputies collided with his vehicle. The Tahoe eventually rolled and ended up on its side.

Reno County EMS was called to the scene to treat Vargas for any injuries he may have sustained. He refused any treatment and was then taken and booked into the Reno County Correctional Facility.

He will be back in court on July 6 for the formal reading of any charges.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 36-year-old man convicted in the shooting death of a Hutchinson woman was re-sentenced Monday to basically 47 years to life.

The new sentence for Christopher “Charles” Logsdon occurred after a Kansas Supreme Court ruling where they found the hard 50 sentence unconstitutional because Judge Trish Rose handed down the sentence on the evidence in the case, rather than by a jury beyond reasonable doubt.

Logsdon was denied all other appeals for his conviction for the murder of Jennifer Heckel, but was re-sentenced by Judge Trish Rose. District Attorney Keith Schroeder says, with the ruling by the state’s high court, it knocks the sentence of 72 years to life down to 47 to life. That’s taking off 25 years. Schroeder said Judge Rose had no choice in handing down the sentence.

During the hearing, two family members were allowed to speak their minds over what his actions did to them with the loss of Heckel.

Logsdon once again refused to follow the direction and orders of Judge Rose, who was then forced to have him removed.

Logsdon was convicted of shooting Heckel in her home in June of 2011 in what turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Emergency crews responded to the Kwik Shop at 27th & Main during the noon hour when the driver of a vehicle apparently mistook the gas peddle for the brake and crash into the store.

87-year-old Patricia Kerns was not injured according to officials, but the crash did cause extensive damage to the store. There were customers in the store at the time, but luckily they were on the other side.

Again, no injuries were reported.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 25-year-old man who was involved in a fatality accident back on May 12 has been arrested for vehicular homicide and having no insurance.

Everette Hardy was traveling on 14th and reportedly failed to stop at the stop sign with Poplar. His vehicle collided with a vehicle driven by 80-year-old Jack Johnson of Hutchinson.

Johnson was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment of injuries and was later transported to a Wichita hospital where he died on June 3.

Hardy was cited at the time for disobeying the stop sign, but now faces the much more serious charge.

Bond in the case is set at $5,100. He has posted bond, meaning any appearance in court will come some time next week.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 22-year-old man was arrested by police after he allegedly caused an explosion in a downtown apartment Tuesday. He didn’t make a court appearance because of a power outage at the Reno County Correctional Facility. Chase Coble was expected to appear via video from the jail for a first appearance on potential charges of aggravated arson and possession of explosives.

According to Hutchinson Police Detective Jamie Schoenhoff, the chemical explosion set off the fire alarms in the Plaza Towers building just east of Main on 2nd. Hutchinson Fire units arrived and thought Coble might have been making methamphetamine, so they called police. Schoenhoff was called in based on his experience with the drug unit and he determined it wasn’t a meth lab, but possibly something more sinister.

Coble was apparently mixing chemicals to cause explosions. Local officials brought in other investigators from the Kansas Fire Marshal’s Office, the South Central Kansas Homeland Security Council, which works through the Sedgwick County Fire Department, Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms officials and the FBI.

Schoenhoff says they believe he was communicating with other individuals in other states, giving them advice on how to make chemical explosions. Schoenhoff says they are looking at one person in particular in Minnesota.

He says they seized 10 servers and are currently looking through those and also seized numerous chemicals that were tested and then destroyed.

Apparently, this is not the first time an explosion has occurred in that building. Coble told officials it had happened in the past as well.

Coble is a student at Hutchinson Community College apparently studying chemistry, but Schoenhoff says he has attended colleges in other places.

He may have some connection to the city of Salina with the detective believing that was the last place he lived.

The detective noted that the various chemicals by themselves are not illegal, saying anyone can purchase them. It’s when they are combined to make explosives that it becomes illegal.

Schoenhoff says they don’t have a damage total, but says it was substantial to apartment 12-E, which is where Coble lived. There may also be damage to an apartment below him with water dripping because of the explosion.

Bond in the case was set at $12,500 and, because he didn’t appear before a judge Wednesday morning, that should happen Thursday morning, unless he manages to post bond. If that happens, it could be some time next week before he appears.

CHENEY, Kan. — Another major step has been taken in landing services to Cheney Lake State Park.

Reno County Commissioners approved a cereal malt beverage license for a KAPS Convenience Store that would be located along the south shore of Cheney Reservoir. The license is addressed to 9912 E. Titan Rd which is just east of the dam, near Haven Rd. The applicants for the store, Kevin and Stephanie  O’Brien are still working on the final details of a contract with the state, and could not comment on the potential contract at this time.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks announced to Eagle Radio last week that they were working to secure such a store for the lake, which has been without any type of service since Snyder’s Marina was closed by the state citing safety issues. The state put out bids on the marina, but had no takers. That has lead them to the KAPS proposal.

The O’Brien’s own five KAPS Convenience Stores, including two in McPherson, one in Lyons, one in Lindsborg and one in Cheney.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A new report shows Kansas farmers have harvested 25 percent of their winter wheat crop.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service said Monday that wheat harvest progress for the state is near the 27 percent average for this time of the year.

It rated wheat still out in the fields as 62 percent good to excellent, with 30 percent in fair condition. About 8 percent of the crop remains in poor to very poor shape.

The industry group, Kansas Wheat, reports that rain over the weekend in central Kansas is expected to put a damper on what had been an otherwise great yielding harvest.

Storms in Reno and McPherson counties brought harvest to a halt on Sunday, and likely for Monday, in parts of the state.

HUTCHINSON – Fire officials believe an electrical issue may be responsible for a Sunday morning fire at a residence in Hutchinson.

Just before 3 a.m., Hutchinson Fire Department Red Crew, under direction of Battalion Chief W. Lang responded to the 3000 Block of North Halstead for a structure fire, according to a social media report.

Initial arriving units reported heavy fire involvement in the front of the structure. A vehicle was on fire inside a garage, according to Reno County dispatch.

Crews made an interior attack, completed a search of the structure and found it to be unoccupied.

The fire was controlled in 15 minutes. Crews remained on scene performing overhaul and extinguishing hot spots.

No damage amount is available. No injuries were reported.