SHAWNEE COUNTY -Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating a violent domestic disturbance.

Just after 12-noon on Saturday, police in Topeka responded to a local hospital in reference to a domestic disturbance, according to a media release.

Police interviewed a 29-year-old woman. She reported the father of her children, Lyle J. Beaty, 29, Topeka, had beaten her.

The victim received extensive injuries during the altercation at a residence in the 400 Block of Clay in Topeka, according to police.

An attempt to locate bulletin was issued for Beaty and just before 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, deputies located and arrested him on requested charges of attempted second-degree murder.

SALINA, Kan. (AP) — A central Kansas judge has ruled that a supposed confession by one of five people accused in the killing of a teenager is admissible as evidence during his scheduled May trial.

The Salina Journal reports a Saline County judge rejected 22-year-old Macio Palacio Jr.’s claim that his statements to investigators were improperly obtained.

Palacio is accused of fatally shooting 17-year-old Allie Saum of Salina in May of last year.

Prosecutors have said Saum was shot as she rode in a pickup truck that drove past a group of men who mistakenly thought the driver had been involved in an earlier confrontation.

Saline County Attorney Ellen Mitchell argued that all five men accused in the killing were equally responsible, even though two of the men have claimed they weren’t present.

WABAUNSEE COUNTY – A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 10p.m. on Sunday in Wabaunsee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Toyota 4-Runner driven by David K. Roguet, 56 Topeka, was eastbound on Interstate 70 just west of Snokomo.

The SUV left the roadway to the right and struck the exit sign.

Roguet was transported to Stormont Vail.

He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

HARVEY COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities in Harvey County have implemented one of the first Unmanned Aerial Systems programs in the region, according to a social media report from Newton Police.

They promised transparency regarding the use of their UAV program.

Just before 12:30 p.m. on Friday, March 25th, the program was put to use to document evidence at the scene of an injury accident on I-135 just south of the Hesston exit.

Officers were able to obtain a birds eye view of the scene, observing skid marks, and viewing the relative positions of where vehicle’s came to rest is valuable to the investigation.

The UAV is also able to record GPS coordinates of vehicles and other points accurately documenting their position. Our small UAV can be deployed and record this data in minutes, providing not only accurate information, but also speeding up the investigation to relieve traffic congestion.

This technology used by the Harvey County Emergency Response Team provides expanded and unique capabilities to a wide range of Emergency Services, better enabling them to provide assistance in a safe and efficient manner, according to a social media report.

Imagine the following:

• Being able to use a thermal imager to search an entire field for a missing child, or locating victims after a tornado in mere minutes 
• Finding an armed suspect and implementing a plan to safely apprehend him without risking lives
• Viewing the totality of a large grass fire in real time, and directing resources more efficiently

• Documenting the scene of a fatality accident from an overhead

perspective.
This new program meets all of these objectives and more.

We would like the people we serve to know we are aware of privacy concerns and have drafted a strict policy governing the use of these aircraft. The aircraft will not be used for routine patrol activities.

Pursuant to our policy, we can only operate these aircraft for training purposes, or pursuant to a search warrant or exigent circumstance (emergency situations). When we operate the aircraft we will do our best to be transparent and notify the public via social media.

Any images recorded which are not of evidentiary value, or of legitimate training value will be deleted within 24 hours to protect your family’s privacy. We will be scheduling several information and demonstration events to answer any questions and receive feedback to better develop the program.

This week saw the culmination of this 7-month project, and there are 6 certified UAV pilots selected from the Newton Police Department and Harvey County Sheriff’s Office.

MELISSA HELLMANN, Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators are considering a measure aimed at limiting wrongful convictions by requiring law enforcement agencies to create written policies for dealing with eyewitnesses to crimes.

Innocence Project policy advocate Michelle Feldman says eyewitness misidentification accounts for the majority of convictions overturned nationally based on DNA evidence since 1989.

The bill would create safeguards against law enforcement sending subtle clues about which suspects in lineups are thought to be the perpetrators. Witnesses would also be informed that they’re not required to identify someone from the lineup.

The House Judiciary Committee and the full Senate have approved the measure, which will get further consideration when lawmakers return from a break on April 27.

MEDICINE LODGE, Kan. (AP) — Firefighters making headway in trying to snuff the biggest wildfire in Kansas history may not get much help from the weather in coming days.

Forestry officials in Kansas and Oklahoma say the fires that have scorched 620 square miles in the two states are 45 percent contained. That includes the roughly one-third of the fire in hardest-hit Barber County in south-central Kansas.

But the National Weather Service says shifting, stiffer winds are looming, potentially reigniting hot spots or extending flames beyond the fire line.

Around Barber County, winds on Monday could gust to 15 to 25 mph, then increase to 30 to 45 mph the next day. Any chance of precipitation in that area could come Tuesday night, but that moisture is expected to be very isolated.

DAN SEWELL, Associated Press

CINCINNATI (AP) — Tea party activists are heartened by a federal appeals court ruling that strengthens their legal push against the Internal Revenue Service for alleged targeting in past election cycles.

A three-judge panel of the Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals chastised government foot-dragging while ordering the agency to give attorneys for tea party groups details on tax-exempt applicants. A U.S. district court judge in Cincinnati earlier this year certified the case as a class action.

Tea Party Patriots co-founder Jenny Beth Martin praised the original plaintiffs for “relentless pursuit of the truth.”

The 2013 lawsuit was among litigation, congressional hearings and federal investigations over treatment of conservative groups who said they were singled out for extra IRS scrutiny. The Justice Department decided against any criminal charges after its probe.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police have been cracking down on the sale of drug paraphernalia businesses in Wichita.

Police said complaints from the community led to the recent crackdown on some products sold at new vape shops as well as convenience stores and other businesses.

Capt. Kevin Mears says the state passed a law in 2008 against selling products designed to use illegal drugs, and Wichita also has a law.

He told The Wichita Eagle that as part of the renewed effort against the paraphernalia, the city is distributing fliers with what is and isn’t allowed to be sold at businesses. If businesses don’t comply, Mears said police will seize the paraphernalia, and store owners will face fines or jail time.