A man who led local law enforcement on three separate car chases in the city during the Christmas holiday is in jail

23-year-old Scott Lutz was captured and transferred to the Reno County jail late Tuesday night.

Lutz, of Wilson, Kansas was arrested by officers from the Reno County Sheriff’s Office and Buhler Police after a stake out for the suspect who had been eluding law enforcement over the past several weeks was made. 

There were active warrants on Lutz out of Reno County for eluding officers and a warrant also from McPherson County for failure to appear.

Officers of the Reno County Drug Enforcement Unit staked out a residence at 125 E. 10th, because of information they received that Lutz was staying there.

Officers observed Lutz and as they approached him outside the residence, a foot pursuit took place with Lutz jumping into a vehicle and fleeing the scene. Officers were able to stop the vehicle a few minutes later in the area of 4th and Buhler Road. When Lutz refused to get out, officers broke the window and removed the subject from the vehicle. He was taken into custody after a brief scuffle.

Lutz faces numerous charges of theft, possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, criminal damage to property, flee and elude, interference with law enforcement and robbery in the Reno County cases.

Lutz led authorities on three chases in the Hutchinson area on Friday December 23rd. Then again Christmas eve and again the morning of December 26th.

Lutz also led law enforcement on a chase in October of last year that started in Reno County, then went into Rice and Barton counties.

He made an appearance in court Wednesday morning where his bond was increased 26-thousand, 400-dollars to 41-thousand.

He’ll be back in court next Wednesday, if not sooner, once the state files formal charges.