TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Republicans want a new GOP state lawmaker to resign and end his election campaign to keep his seat over allegations in a television report that he emotionally abused two boys.

State Rep. Michael Capps, of Wichita said he did nothing wrong and is not resigning.

The Kansas Republican Party on Friday severed its ties with Capps and said it does not support his election. House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. called on Capps to resign and said it would be “inappropriate” for him to serve.

Local Republicans appointed Capps to fill a vacancy in July.

He told KAKE-TV that a Department for Children and Families finding of emotional abuse of two boys in foster care was overturned after he appealed it.

He did not return telephone messages seeking comment.

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SHAWNEE COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Thursday in Shawnee County,

A pickup was westbound in the 2600 Block of SE 6th Street in Topeka and struck a man in a wheel chair, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he died.

The man who drove the truck was taken to the Law Enforcement Center for questioning. 

The Accident Reconstruction Unit and detectives worked at the scene and had the road back open by midnight. 

Police have not released the victim’s name.

Anyone with information regarding this is encouraged to contact the Topeka Police.

PAWNEE COUNTY —A longtime Larned State Hospital resident, Irene M. Marshall, 65, entered a plea to one count of battery of a mental health employee in exchange for the dismissal of additional battery charges, according to a media release from the Pawnee County Attorney.

Marshall had been scheduled for separate jury trials on September 4-5 and September 12-13.

The charge to which she plead occurred in 2014 when she was a patient at Larned State Hospital. The cases had been delayed several times due to competency concerns and evaluations associated with her defense of mental disease or defect.

Before accepting the plea, Pawnee County District Judge Bruce Gatterman questioned Marshall about her understanding of the charges and her legal rights. The defendant acknowledged to the Court she wished to enter to the plea to avoid the potential of a longer sentence.

Marshall has been in the custody of the Topeka Correctional Facility since July 8, 2018, as a result of a 2013 criminal threat.

Following the plea, defense counsel requested a waiver of the standard pre-sentence investigation and to proceed directly to sentencing. The State had no objection and stipulated to the defendant’s known criminal history. Judge Gatterman accepted the waiver and sentenced the defendant to 29 months with the Department of Corrections to be served consecutive to her criminal threat sentence.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has hired a law firm to review allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct against priests in the diocese.

Archbishop Joseph Naumann wrote in a column published Friday in the archdiocese’s newspaper, The Leaven, that the firm was hired to ensure church officials have an accurate historical knowledge of how the archdiocese has responded to allegations of misconduct. He did not name the firm, which he said will review priest personnel files going back to 1950.

Read the entire column HERE.

Attorney Rebecca Randles, who has represented several people alleging abuse by priests, said Naumann’s action wasn’t enough. She says it doesn’t meet her recent call for investigation and transparency because the law firm ultimately represents the archdiocese’s interest.

RENO COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on theft and drug charges after a high-speed chase.

Just before 10:30a.m. Thursday, a Reno County deputy checking the tag and registration of a vehicle on Kansas-61 Highway discovered that the tag had been reported stolen earlier in the week by a Reno County resident, according to a media release.

The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver fled at a high rate of speed. The chase continued down several dirt and black-top county roads. At one point, the vehicle stopped for a brief moment and let out a female passenger.

The chase lasted just under one hour, spanned over 70 miles and ended approximately five miles north of Sylvia when the vehicle stopped and the driver identified as James Monroe Smith, 30, Salem, Arkansas, fled on foot. Deputies chased and made an arrest.

Potential charges against Smith include drug possession, possession of stolen property, criminal use of a weapon and several traffic violations to include an attempt to flee and elude. He has a bond in Reno County of $13,250, according to the release.

Smith is also being held on charges out of Fulton County, Arkansas including an attempt to flee and elude and aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer. His bond on those charges is $100,000. He also has a parole hold from the Arkansas Department of Corrections, which has no bond on it.

The pickup he was driving was reported stolen from the city of West Plains, Missouri. Additional holds or charges could be coming.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has upheld a $907,000 medical malpractice verdict against a Wichita doctor.

The Supreme Court says in a news release that it’s affirming a Sedgwick County jury’s 2013 judgment against physician Brian DeBrot.

The verdict resulted from a 2009 lawsuit by the family of 74-year-old Barbara Mae Castleberry, of Wichita. Her family contended that DeBrot, her primary doctor, wrongly diagnosed her condition during two visits in December 2007.

DeBrot decided that Castleberry’s symptoms were related to carpal tunnel syndrome, a common condition that involves numbness, pain or tingling in the arm or hand. But Castleberry suffered a stroke the day after her last appointment and died about a year later after she fell.

A lawyer for DeBrot couldn’t be reached for comment.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the suspicious death of a 2-month-old and have made two arrests.

According to the Sedgwick County booking report police arrested 34-year-old Kyle Lloyd Kempton and 39-year-old Christy Rollings in connection with the death of their son. 

Kempton has been booked into jail on charges of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated child endangerment.  Rollings was booked into jail on two counts of aggravated child endangerment.

At approximately 6 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a call of a child not breathing at a motel in the 5900 block of west Kellogg in Wichita, according to Davidson.

Upon arrival, the boy was found unresponsive, and he was pronounced dead on scene.  The boy’s twin brother was also on scene, unharmed. The investigation revealed the parents had become intoxicated overnight.  This morning the father woke up next to the boy, found him not breathing and called 9-1-1. 

 On Tuesday, at approximately 4:45 p.m., police responded to a call at the same motel concerning the welfare of the twins. The parents were intoxicated at the time and the children were placed with a responsible family member.  

An autopsy is scheduled to determine the cause of death. 

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SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a 2-month-old boy.

Just after 6 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a call of a child not breathing at a motel in the 5900 block of west Kellogg in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

 Upon arrival, the boy was found unresponsive, and he was pronounced dead on scene.  The boy’s twin brother was also on scene, unharmed.

An investigation has revealed the two children, their 34-year-old father and 39-year-old mother were living at the motel.  The father found the boy not breathing and called 911, according to Davidson.

The cause of death is unknown.  An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.