Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON— A Hutchinson police officer who was fired for the handling of a traffic stop has lost his appeal for reinstatement. Attorneys representing the Fraternal Order of Police were before the Hutchinson City Council asking that former officer John Suda be allowed to return to the force.

The firings were said to be connected to an incident in which a female officer was spotted driving intoxicated with her child on board. That officer, Anna Ruzhanovska, resigned from the force. But the controversy surrounding the incident led to three officers getting fired. Others were either suspended or disciplined.

Video and audio played during the hearing showed two officers, Mike Rivers and Suda, turning off their dash and vest cameras once they discovered who was behind the wheel of the stopped SUV.

Audio of the 911 calls was also played and told the story of a motorist who was causing numerous traffic issues from K-96 Highway near Haven to where the stop was made at Lorraine and K-61 Highway:

Another video played during the hearing showed Suda asking a fellow officer what he should do in this situation saying he didn’t “want to throw anybody under the bus.” The conversation was recorded by a camera in one of the interrogation rooms. Transcripts from the arbitrator showed Suda and others tried to hide the facts into Ruzhanovska’s traffic stop by shutting off the cameras and then driving her to the police station in her own vehicle. Suda maintained during the arbitration hearing that he was not trying to hide the facts, but was trying to protect Ruzhanovska when he and Rivers shut off their cameras.

In April of this year, an arbitration hearing was held for Suda. During that hearing, an arbitrator issued a statement that Suda should be reinstated without back pay or benefits. He stated that, while Suda’s actions during the traffic stop were wrong, they did not warrant termination. He also stressed that Suda never tried to withhold the truth during follow-up interviews. In September, City Manager John Deardoff rejected that recommendation and upheld Suda’s termination.

The council agreed. After more than an hour of testimony and discussion, the council voted 5-0 to uphold Suda’s termination.

WICHITA, KAN. – A  man who was stopped in Kansas with 50 pounds of methamphetamine in his car was sentenced Tuesday to six years in federal prison, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Jesus Antonio Garcia-Maldonado, 36, Panorama City, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In his plea, he admitted he was stopped for speeding on US 54 near Minneola in Clark County, Kan.

Law enforcement officers found approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine in wrapped packages under seats and behind a rear quarter panel. The defendant said he was driving the drugs from San Diego, Calif., to Minnesota.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that injured a woman and asking the public for help with information.

Just after 7:p.m. Monday, police responded to report of a shooting at Schweiter Park in the 900 Block of South Chautauqua in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. When officers arrived, they found a number of shell casings in the parking lot.

A short time later, a 22-year-old woman arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound. She was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigators have learned the woman and a suspect were involved in physical altercation when multiple shots were fired that wounded the victim, according to Davidson.

Police have encountered a lack of cooperation during their investigation and are asking the public for help with information to help them make an arrest, according to Davidson.

WABAUNSEE COUNTY (AP) — Federal prosecutors want to keep $180,000 in suspected drug money that was found during a Kansas traffic stop.

Court records say the money was uncovered in July when a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper pulled over a pickup truck on Interstate 70 in Wabaunsee County for a traffic violation. The driver said he was traveling from Chicago to Denver to visit his sick mother, but a vehicle search turned up seven bundles of cash wrapped in duct tape.

Documents say the driver then told law enforcement that he was being paid to take the money to a Denver hotel. A drug dog detected the odor of controlled substances coming from the currency.

Prosecutors filed last week for the cash to be forfeited to the government.

GEARY COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Chevy Silverado driven by Savannah R. Laudemann, 22, Woodbine, was eastbound on State Lake Road six miles south of Junction City. The Silverado entered the roadway and was struck by a 2016 Peterbilt Semi that was southbound on U.S. 77.

Savannah Laudemann and a passenger Dawnette M. Laudemann, 44, Woodbine, were transported to Geary County Hospital where Savannah died.

The semi driver Bryan K. Lewis, 46, Crosby, Texas, was not injured. The occupants of the Silverado were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

WICHITA, KAN. – A well known Wichita lawyer was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to being involved in a cyberattack, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. He was ordered to pay a $375,000 fine and restitution of $55,200.

Bradley A. Pistotnik, 63, pleaded guilty to three counts of being an accessory after the fact to making an extortionate threat over the internet. In his plea, Pistotnik admitted he was contacted by attorneys from the legal firm Jaburg Wilk and Ripoff Report regarding cyberattacks launched against Ripoff Report, Jaburg Wilk and Leagle. He falsely denied knowing anything about the attacks.

In fact, Pistotnik knew co-defendant David Dorsett had initiated a flood of emails against the servers used by Leagle, RipoffReport and Jaburg Wilk. Dorsett had met previously with Pistonik offering web design and reputation management services. Dorsett sent emails demanding the removal of information that reflected badly on Pistotnik from their web sites. In one of the threatening emails, Dorsett said, “… if you don’t remove it we will begin targeting your advertisers…”