BARTON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect arrested after a high-speed chase and crash.

Just before 12:30a.m. Wednesday, a Barton County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop a vehicle for a defective brake lamp violation in the 100 Block of Southeast 1 Avenue south of Great Bend, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

Normally this sort of stop is simply a courtesy to advise the driver of defective equipment. When the deputy activated his lights, the green 1997 Cadillac Deville fled from the deputy at a high rate of speed.

The officer pursued the vehicle into the southern part of Barton County at which point the suspect lost control of the vehicle at the intersection of 50 Road and Southeast 20 Avenue and struck a stop sign.

The driver continued to flee and traveled into Stafford County,  came back into Barton County at which time the Cadillac struck a deer. Deputies were able get the vehicle stopped in the 800 block of Southeast 50 Road.

The driver was identified as Nicholas Curtice, age 35 of rural Hoisington. It was discovered Curtice had outstanding arrest warrants through the Barton County District Court.  Curtice was arrested on the Barton County warrant and was also charged with felony flee and elude, criminal damage to property, driving while revoked and numerous other traffic violations he is being held in the Barton County Jail with no bond on the warrant.

Curtice has previous convictions for drugs, driving while suspended, criminal damage to property and flee-attempted to flee and elude law enforcement, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.