Russell County Sheriff’s Office

At approximately 7:50 p.m. Thursday, Russell County Dispatch received numerous calls regarding a grey vehicle acting suspiciously and attempting to steal fuel in the Fairport and Natoma areas.

Shortly after these calls came in, a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper spotted the vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed near Gorham. The vehicle refused to stop for the trooper and the chase entered Ellis County for a period of time. The chase returned to Russell County on Interstate 70 and continued east to the Wilson exit in Ellsworth County.

While in Ellsworth County, a female passenger jumped from the vehicle and was taken into custody by law enforcement officers. The chase continued north on Highway 232 and entered Russell County once again.

Two Russell County Sheriff’s officers deployed stop sticks near the Lake Wilson dam and struck three tires. The driver of the vehicle continued to flee on gravel roads and was eventually taken into custody south of Waldo.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as Jeffery Nakai Makekau of Hawaii. Makekau was transported to the Russell County jail for booking. He was arrested on suspicion of felony flee and elude, driving under the influence and reckless driving.

“The Russell County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the alert citizens who reported this vehicle and all law enforcement agencies who assisted in the capture of this individual without injuries and minimal property damage,” the Russell County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media posting Friday.