BARTON COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on new drug and driving charges after a high-speed chase.
Just after 10:30 Friday, Hoisington Police Officer Ryan Conley observed a motorcycle on Main Street near Railroad Street and recognized it as possibly belonging to a subject currently being sought in reference to an earlier report of a domestic disturbance, according to a social media report.
Officer Conley followed the motorcycle until he could confirm it did in fact belong to that subject and then attempted to stop the motorcycle near East Third Street on North Pine Street.
The driver, ultimately identified as 34-year-old Nicholas Curtice refused to yield and increased his speed, traveling north to East Seventh Street, then east to North Cedar Street and finally headed east out of town on Kansas 4 Highway.
Officer Conley later advised during the chase speeds reached 125 mph. At one point the driver of the motorcycle reached a dead end and Officer Conley took the opportunity to use his patrol car as a makeshift roadblock and had the driver at gunpoint. However, the driver ignored Officer Conley’s commands and drove the motorcycle around the patrol car.
At one point the chase went into Rush County and then the suspect returned to Barton County. During the chase the suspect was observed discarding what was believed to be narcotics which were later recovered.
The chase ended in the 1200 block of Northwest 140 Avenue when the motorcycle ran out of gas and the suspect was taken into custody without further incident.
Police arrested Curtice and charged him with unlawful possession of controlled substances, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, reckless driving, driving while revoked and expired registration.
The motorcycle was impounded and the owner, wanted in connection with the earlier report of a domestic disturbance, has not yet been located.
Curtice has previous convictions for drugs, flee and attempt to elude, criminal damage and driving while suspended in Barton County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.