By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

A Colorado man was arrested in Thomas County on Monday after allegedly stealing multiple vehicles and leading law enforcement of chase throughout the county.

According to the Thomas County Sheriff’s Facebook page, just before 10 a.m. law enforcement received the report of a suspicious person removing a tag from a vehicle. A short time later, a Thomas County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped Timothy Leonard Lee Medel, 32, Denver.

Medel waited until the deputy was out of his vehicle, attempting to make contact and then sped away, according to the sheriff.

Officers found the vehicle Medel fled in wrecked and abandoned and discovered Medel had taken a second vehicle from Wheatridge Road. According to the press release, Medel drove erratically and vehicles were pulling over to avoid being hit. He also swerved at a different deputy and forced the deputy into a parking lot.

Medel then exited Colby city limits heading eastbound on College Drive. The pursuit continued through fields, multiple fences, and county roads.

A second vehicle was reportedly stolen from McCarty Dairy, southwest of Rexford in Thomas County.

At approximately 10:30 a.m. the pursuit went through the city of Gem and continued through fields and onto county roads west of Gem.

The vehicle was located, unoccupied, at 10:48 a.m. near the intersection of County Road 24 and County Road U.

After law enforcement officials set up a perimeter in the area, Medel was located and arrested without further incident with the assistance of the Kansas Highway Patrol K-9 Unit at approximately 11:39 a.m.

The Thomas County Sheriff’s Office, Colby Police Department, Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, and Kansas Bureau of Investigation assisted in the apprehension of Medel.