GEARY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Geary County are investigating a weekend shooting.

The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has reported that a 19-year old Beatrice, Nebraska man, Dylan Binnick, was shot and wounded by a Sheriff’s Deputy in an incident Sunday morning on Skiddy Road.

Life Star transported Binnick to Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka where his condition was listed as stable, with no surgery required, according to Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf said

Just before 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sheriff’s deputies responded to a rural Geary County in response to a report of a possible vehicle accident, with three suspicious subjects walking in the area of Skiddy Road and Skiddy West, according to Wolf.

When Deputies arrived in the area about one mile north of Skiddy Cemetery they made contact with two male subjects, and one female subject, who were walking on Skiddy Road after an earlier accident near the Geary – Morris County line.

“Deputies met the subjects in the roadway, got out, started to do some investigation on the accident that occurred and tried to find out who these individuals were,” said Wolf.

“One individual ( Binnick ) was very apprehensive about giving up any identification or anything.

He finally gave up his identification, then drew a gun out of his waistband on the Deputy. The Deputy was then placed in a very threatening situation, and he drew his weapon and shot the individual,” said Wolf.

Binnick was shot in the right side of his chest, but no surgery was required, according to Wolf.

Deputies administered first aid to Binnick until Junction City Fire / EMS arrived on the scene until Life Star arrived.

The other two subjects were identified as Noah Marshall, 18, and a 16-year old juvenile female, both of Beatrice, Nebraska.

Wolf reported it was later determined that these individuals were suspects in reported felony crimes in Beatrice within the previous few days.

The initial report of the possible accident, revealed a reported stolen vehicle from Beatrice with ties to the three subjects.

Wolf confirmed Marshall and the 16-year old female were arrested on suspicion of Aggravated Assault and other counts.

No formal court charges have been filed at this point. The case has been turned over to the KBI who will be handling the investigation.

Wolf noted the deputy who fired the shot, and another who was providing backup at the scene have been both been placed on administrative leave with pay

SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.

Juan Carlos Cruz-Vergara, 31, Salina, was arrested following a disturbance late Sunday night, according to Police Captain Chris Trocheck.

The disturbance began after the mother of a 12-year-old girl discovered that Cruz-Vergara had been improperly touching the girl sometime between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. at a Salina residence.

Trocheck said the man and the girl are acquainted.

Cruz-Vergara was booked into jail early Monday morning on a requested charge of aggravated indecent liberties

CARMEL, Ind. (AP) — The for-profit college chain ITT Educational Services is shutting down its campuses days after the U.S. Department of Education banned it from enrolling new students who use federal financial aid.  See the school’s web site here.

The company, which operates vocational schools, announced “with profound regret” in a statement Tuesday that it is ending academic operations at all of its more than 130 campuses across 38 states including the location at 8111 E 32nd Street North in Wichita and the location 7600 West 119th Street in Overland Park.

The company, based in Carmel, Indiana, says its move will have an impact on hundreds of thousands of students and alumni as well as more than 8,000 employees.

ITT Educational Services says it was forced to take the action after the U.S. Department of Education issued sanctions Aug. 25, including a ban on enrolling new students who rely on federal financial aid.

TOPEKA – It was a deadly Labor Day weekend on Kansas highways. Six people died in accidents, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Just after 6 p.m. on Friday Ivan L. Perkins, 71, Rolla, was killed when his Pontiac Montana was eastbound on U.S. 56 six miles west of Rolla crossed left of center and hit a semi.

Just after midnight on Saturday morning, Danny Riddle, 25, Fredonia, died when he was ejected from a Toyota passenger vehicle that was westbound on Kansas 47 two miles east of Kansas 400 in Wilson County. The vehicle driven by Lane B. Colby, 21, Fredonia, veered left of center, entered the south ditch, became airborne, hit the embankment and ejected both occupants.
Colby was transported to Fredonia Regional Hospital.

Just after 11a.m. on Saturday Marjorie L. Bice, Plainville, died at Wesley Medical Center from injuries in a 3-vehicle crash at the intersection of U.S. 281 and U.S. 50 in Stafford County.

She was a passenger in a Ford Escort driven by George H. Wiebe, 77, St. Louis, Missouri. The driver failed to yield at the intersection, pulled in front of and collided with a 2004 Honda Accord driven by Jonathan D. Ensz, 22 Cimarron that was eastbound on U.S. 50.

The Honda also collided with a 2010 Dodge Avenger driven by Gary D. Lumm, 53, Parsons that was stopped northbound on U281 at U50.

Wiebe and a passenger in the Honda Rachel J. Ensz, 17, Cimarron, were transported to Stafford County Hospital.

Just after noon on Saturday, Reid Allen Bressler, 51, Ozawkie, died after the Chevy Silverado he was driving southbound on Ferguson Road in Jefferson County left the road, hit some trees, and he was ejected.

Just after 9p.m. on Saturday Tyler R. Karraker, 19, Little River, died in an accident after his Chevy S-10 pickup hit a horse trailer pulled by a pickup at the intersection of Kansas 61 and Comanche Road in McPherson County. After the crash, a northbound semi hit the S-10 pickup. Karraker was transported to the hospital in Hutchinson where he died.

Just before 4p.m. on Sunday, Daniel M. McCormick, 77, Stratton, CO., was driving a Honda motorcycle westbound on Interstate 70 six miles east of Goodland in Sherman County.

The motorcycle stuck a westbound GMC Envoy on the passenger side.

McCormick lost control of the motorcycle. It slid and rolled into the median.

McCormick was transported to the hospital in Goodland where he died.

SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating a shooting.

Just after 8:30p.m. on Monday officers with the Topeka police department were dispatched to a report of gunshots in the 700 Block of SW Western Street, according to a media release.

A short time later, three people arrived at a Topeka hospital with gunshot wounds.

Few additional details were released. No arrests have been made.

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas kindergarten teacher has agreed to spend roughly six months in jail after having admitted she possessed drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop in which authorities say they also found cocaine.

KMBC-TV reports that Karen Kay Marshall of Shawnee pleaded guilty Friday in Kansas’ Johnson County to the misdemeanor paraphernalia count. Prosecutors dropped a felony cocaine possession charge.

The counts involving the former Bonner Springs Elementary School teacher related to March 2015 traffic stop in Prairie Village. She was charged and resigned in June.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police in Kansas City, Kansas, are trying to solve who set fire on a school playground, damaging tens of thousands of dollars of equipment.

KMBC-TV reports that equipment including slides and climbing structures at Stony Point North Elementary School was burned over the weekend.

Officials say the playground’s newest section featuring equipment for children with disabilities wasn’t damaged.

As the investigation continues, the school is trying to raise the estimated $50,000 it will take to replace the playground.

There was no immediate word Monday about any arrests or charges.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A southern Kansas judge is not allowing a man to withdraw his guilty plea for his alleged role in the 2014 killing of an elderly couple in Wichita.

The Wichita Eagle reports that Sedgwick County District Court Judge Bruce Brown last week rejected 19-year-old Carlos Delacadena-Edwards’ claims that he was coerced into accepting a plea deal.

Originally charged with first-degree murder, Delacadena-Edwards pleaded guilty in May to two counts of second-degree intentional murder and one count of aggravated robbery.

He admitted he helped Steven Wade Edwards II fatally shoot Martha Lopez Moreno and Godofredo Moreno-Lopez.

Steven Edwards also pleaded guilty to reduced charges but is asking to have that plea withdrawn.

HUTCHINSON – The family of a Hutchinson woman convicted and sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison for second-degree murder were in court Friday to ask for the return of some property seized by law enforcement during the investigation.

Jamie Hatfield’s Attorney Steve Osburn told the judge that a vehicle, a firearm and cell phones actually belonged to the defendant’s mother.

District Attorney Keith Schroeder was reluctant for the items to be returned because they might be needed in the future if the case should somehow come back.

Hatfield had entered a plea in the case and part of the agreement was the she would not file any appeal in the case and Osburn says time had run out to do so.

But, Schroeder says there is still a chance those items might be needed.

Judge Trish Rose agreed with the state and said she did not feel comfortable releasing them at this time.

Hatfield was sentenced on July 22, so it was decided to hold off until July 22, 2017 before making any decision.

Hatfield entered a guilty plea to intentional second-degree murder in the strangulation death of 38-­year-­old Mary Ann Arnett in June of 2015.

Arnett’s body was found in a dry creek bed near Nickerson. She was strangled with a cell phone cord according to autopsy reports.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police in Wichita, Kansas, say a man is in custody after assaulting a police officer and firefighter at a building doubling as a police and fire station.

Wichita police Sgt. Nikki Woodrow tells KSNW-TV a 25-year-old man drove erratically onto the station’s lot about 6:45 p.m. Sunday, narrowly missing a firefighter and a man.

Woodrow says the driver exited his vehicle and got into a physical altercation with the two men. When the firefighter rang the police station’s doorbell, a police sergeant stepped out and was pushed and threatened by the suspect.

The motives for the suspect’s confrontation are not immediately clear.

He was jailed on suspicion of criminal threats, terrorism, battery of a law enforcement officer and firefighter, criminal property damage and driving with a restricted license.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police in Kansas City, Kansas, say a 15-year-old girl killed in a drive-by shooting last week has been identified.

Police said Monday that Brannae Brown died at the scene of the gunfire about 6:30 p.m. Friday in her hometown. Another person was wounded.

Police say the preliminary investigation shows that unknown suspects drove by and fired at Brown, though police have not released a possible motive.

The investigation continues.

By ALEX SMITH

For anyone who knows Elyse McKinnon, it’s hard to imagine her not tearing down a race track on a motorcycle.

But life without racing is just what the 30-year-old had to consider after a tragic crash in the summer of 2015 left her with a broken back.

McKinnon and her husband, Chris McKinnon, of Lawrence, Kansas, have been avid motorcyclists since moving to the Midwest from Florida shortly after Elyse graduated from college.

Elyse says her competitive drive prompted her transition from weekend rider to competitive drag racer.

“I’ve always been pretty competitive,” she says. “When I’m in a competition, it just fuels something in me that I need to beat that other person. So I need to go as fast as I can to be able to win that race.”

During the past few years, the couple has traveled the region as “McKinnon Motorsports,” taking part in races, with Elyse as racer and Chris as mechanic. Elyse is one of relatively few women in the competitive drag racing circuit.

McKinnon remembers little of the actual race that took place on June 26, 2015, at the I-29 Dragway in Pacific Junction, Iowa.

It started like any other race. She was randomly paired up with another racer, burned out her tires and approached the starting line to wait for the sequence of light that signaled the start of the race.

After that, her memory is a blur.

“I just remember getting woken up again,” McKinnon says.

The ¼-mile “sprints” typically only last around eight seconds, and the turnover of racers happens so fast that no one usually watches the end of the track. And that evening in June, no one saw McKinnon’s crash.

“We’re not 100 percent sure whether it’s a mechanical failure or something else,” McKinnon says. “It seems that it may have been brake related.”

After hearing the announcement “rider down” over the dragway’s PA system, Chris and a friend rushed to the end of the track to find Elyse had crashed into the tire wall designed to stop out-of-control race cars.

She was rushed by helicopter to Nebraska Medical Center, where doctors worked to repair a host of injuries, including a broken back.

“Thankfully, I was very blessed that I didn’t have any spinal cord injury,” McKinnon says, recalling the diagnosis she received from the hospital’s back surgeon. “But the lack of stability, with the fact that that bone was broken all the way through, was why he had the urgency to get the surgery done.”

The day after the crash, the surgeon performed a spinal fusion, connecting broken pieces of vertebrae with titanium rods.

The surgery helped protect her spinal column during the critical early phase shortly after the accident, but the rods will also likely remain in place for the rest of her life.

Surviving the crash and enduring surgery were just the start of McKinnon’s odyssey, however.

During the next several months, she worked with physical therapists in painstaking baby steps to recover her health.

“They would each give me, ‘OK, here’s your goal of things to do,’” McKinnon says. “And I didn’t have anything else to do all day, especially at the beginning, so that’s what I was going to work on.”

McKinnon describes herself as a “pretty optimistic person,” but acknowledges the challenge of recovery could sometimes feel overwhelming.

“I had a couple of days here and there that I got discouraged, but it was always, ‘OK, let’s start the next day fresh. What do I need to get done today?” McKinnon says.

Much of the physical therapy aimed to help her return to walking and moving normally, but the future of her riding also weighed heavily on her mind.

“It was a really big question, something that we talked a lot about, and I thought a lot about: whether I would race again, or even whether or not I would ride a motorcycle again,” McKinnon says. “But after a lot of thought and consideration and prayer about it, too, I decided I couldn’t even imagine my life without doing it again – either driving a motorcycle or racing.”

Ten months after the accident, Elyse and Chris took a motorcycle to their hometown track outside of Lawrence for a test run.

During her first test run, Elyse – for once – was determined to take it slow.

“I just needed to make a pass down the track,” she says. “It didn’t have to be as fast as possible, but I just needed to do it.”

After an easy first ride, McKinnon felt her old confidence quickly start to return.

“The second pass, I felt even more comfortable to get a little more aggressive with it,” McKinnon says. “So just kind of stepped up from that first pass, and that’s what I’ve been able to do ever since, is just keep increasing my game to get faster and faster.”

She quickly proved the accident had little lasting effect on the talent or competitive drive that fans and fellow racers had known.

“Early in the season, for 2016, I was able to set a new personal best on one of our bike that we own,” McKinnon says. “That was pretty exciting: to not only just be back in the sport but be competitive back in the sport.”

Alex Smith is a reporter and a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team. You can reach him on Twitter @AlexSmithKCUR.