SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for shoplifting and vehicle theft.

On October 19, Police were called to Walmart, 2900 S. Ninth in Salina for the report of a man who went through the self-checkout, paid for four packages of Kool-Aid, but concealed approximately $80 worth of other items that he took with him when he left the store, according Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

The items taken included charcoal, four arrows, a phone case, a Nerf toy and a blanket. Walmart loss-prevention personnel witnessed the incident, according to Forrester.

Store personnel told police that the man and a woman were seen getting into a gray PT Cruiser type of vehicle that traveled from the store and north on Interstate I35.

Shortly thereafter, a Salina police officer pulled over a gray Chevrolet HHR at I-135 and Magnolia. The vehicle was confirmed as stolen from Lyon County on Wednesday, according to Forrester.

The suspect identified as Jacob Vaughan, 20, Salina, from the Walmart shoplifting case and the woman seen with him earlier were in the HHR.

Police arrested Vaughan and charged him with one count of felony possession of stolen property, one count of misdemeanor attempted theft, and one count of driving while suspended, according to Forrester. Vaughan also had a probation violation warrant out of Lyon County.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A man and woman have been charged in a road-rage shooting that wounded a 4-year-old boy in Wichita.

Nineteen-year-old Tylin Atkinson, and 21-year-old Ramonyka Smith, both of Wichita, were charged Monday with criminal discharge of a firearm. Atkinson also faces a charge of aggravated assault and is jailed on $250,000 bond. Smith is jailed on $100,000 bond. Their attorneys didn’t immediately return phone messages seeking comment.

Police say Atkinson got out of a car last week and fired two shots at a sport utility vehicle in which six children were riding, striking the 4-year-old once in the abdomen. Police say Smith was driving the car.

The child was in stable condition shortly after the shooting. Police didn’t immediately return phone calls Monday seeking an update on the boy’s condition.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities have made an arrest in connection with a stolen vehicle.

Just after 4pm Sunday a citizen noticed their vehicle was missing from the lot of the Shawnee County Department of Corrections (DOC) in Topeka, according to police Lt. Aaron Jones.

Review of the camera system a suspect was identified as 33 years-old Kevin E. Jones. He had just been released from the jail at approximately 9a.m., just prior to the theft of the vehicle.

Officers were then called to the 500 block of NE Grattan in Topeka for a report of a man attempting to break into a vehicle. The owner of the vehicle and neighbors kept the suspect on scene until the arrival of officers.

The responding officers recognized the suspect in this incident was Kevin Jones from the earlier reviewed surveillance footage.

The original stolen vehicle was then located by officers in the 700 Block of SW Taylor around 7:15 pm.

Jones was arrested under suspicion of motor vehicle theft and criminal damage. The damage to the vehicle on Grattan was estimated to be about $700, according to police.

BARTON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a weekend shooting.

Just before 5 a.m. October 20, officers from the Great Bend Police Department were dispatched to the 5900 block of Hemlock Dr. in reference to a shooting, according to a media release.

Upon officers arrival, they located a 33-year-old woman with a gunshot wound. Officers also found 36-year-old Troy Tutak at the scene.

After questioning about the incident, Police arrested Tutak and he was transported to the Barton County Jail.  The victim was transported to the hospital in Great Bend and she was later flown to a Wichita hospital with critical injuries.

Tutak was arrested on requested charges of aggravated battery with a bond set at $75,000. Tutak  also had a probation violation, according to police.

 

RENO COUNTY  — A Kansas teen was injured in an accident just after 8:30a.m. Monday in Reno County.

A Mazda passenger vehicle driven by Emily Morton, 17, was eastbound on 30^th Avenue and stopped a the stop sign at 30^th at Buhler Road just east of Hutchinson, according to the Reno County Sheriff’s Department.

The driver pulled out in front of a Kenworth Semi driven by 27-year-old Ethan Ediger.  The semi struck the Mazda and Morton was ejected from the vehicle. She was transported to the hospital in Hutchinson for treatment. Ediger was not injured.

Authorities released no additional details.

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on attempted-murder charges in connection with a shooting.

Just after 10p.m. October 19, sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to 451 Northwest 40 Avenue in Barton County to a reported shooting, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir.

Upon arrival, deputies identified Dustin Turner who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the left leg. EMS transported Turner to the hospital in Great Bend with non-life-threatening injuries.

After interviewing several individuals, deputies identified a suspect as 26-year-old Kenneth Birt Jr. and found him in the 1000 block of Jackson Street in Great Bend, according to Bellendir. He  was booked on charges of attempted murder and is being held in the Barton County jail in lieu of a $1 million bond.

 

 

 

TOPEKA – Governor Jeff Colyer and members of the Eisenhower family participated in the official unveiling of a new statue honoring President Dwight D. Eisenhower on the statehouse grounds Monday. The statue is located on the northwest lawn of the Capitol.

It was an honor unveiling the new President Dwight Eisenhower statue this morning. Ike is the true definition of a leader and I take pride that one of the greatest leaders of the past century was from Kansas #ksleg pic.twitter.com/EHKf7tXeAs

— Governor Jeff Colyer (@GovJeffColyer) October 22, 2018

“Ike is the true definition of a leader. I take great pride in the fact that one of the greatest leaders of the past century was from Abilene, Kansas, right here in the true heart of America,” said Gov. Colyer, M.D. “Ike taught us that in order to effectively lead, you need to listen and serve, a model for all Kansans to follow.”

President Eisenhower became the 34^th President of the United States in 1953, before that serving in the U.S. Army during World War I. In World War II, he served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force.

“We are deeply humbled that my Grandfather would be honored in this way,” said Mary Eisenhower Atwater. “This statue will act as a beacon of light for all who see it and come from simple beginnings to strive for their dreams.  It is only fitting that this statue looks on the Kansas Capitol grounds reminding him of where he started and where he lays to rest.”

In February, Gov. Colyer chose to sign SB 262, which authorized the construction of the statue, as the first bill he signed in to law. The bill signing was held at the Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene.

The statue is now the fourth tribute to President Eisenhower on the statehouse grounds.

SALINE COUNTY — Two Kansas teens are recovering from injuries in an accident on Friday in Saline County.

A 2006 Suzuki Aerio driven by Couper Shutts, 18, Salina, was northbound on a gravel portion of Whitmore Road and lost control of the vehicle just past the intersection with Cloud Street, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

The vehicle rolled and ejected passenger Hannah Mertz, 16, Salina.

Mertz and passenger Allison Nashwick, 18, Salina were transported to Salina Regional Health Center.

Mertz was not wearing a seat belt, according to Soldan. Shutts was not injured. He was cited for driving at a speed not reasonable and prudent, according to Soldan.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The first living person to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War will speak at this year’s Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce meeting.

President Barack Obama awarded Salvatore Giunta the nation’s highest military honor for valor in November 2010. Giunta was honored for risking his life in 2007 to save two soldiers during an insurgent ambush in Afghanistan.

(Watch the Medal of Honor Ceremony here)

Giunta, then an Army specialist, was a rifle team leader with a company from the Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team at the time of the ambush. He was on his second combat deployment to Afghanistan.

Giunta later gave his medal to his brigade. He retired from active duty in 2011.

The Chamber meeting and dinner is scheduled for Nov. 29.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police are searching for a suspect after a fight at a motel left one man dead.

Police say the victim was in a fight at a west Wichita motel early Monday before the shooting.

The victim, a man in his 40s, died at a hospital.

Police have not issued a description of the suspect and other details were not immediately released.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Police say one person died and three people were injured when an off-duty Kansas City police officer driving a department van hit another vehicle.

Police spokesman Capt. Lionel Colon said the crash occurred Sunday afternoon on Interstate 435 near Arrowhead Stadium as Kansas City Chiefs fans were arriving for the team’s game.

Colon says the police van ran into a vehicle involved in slow traffic lining up to turn into the stadium. That vehicle hit a second vehicle, which hit a third car.

The driver of the van that was hit by the police vehicle was killed. The person’s identity has not been released.

Police staff often are on-call and use police vehicles while off-duty so they can quickly respond if needed.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 9 p.m.  Saturday, police responded to an armed robbery call at the NuWay, 6404 E. Central in Wichita, according to  officer Charley Davidson.  A 20-year-old male employee told police a suspect   entered the business, indicated he had a gun and demanded money.  The staff gave him money and the suspect fled on foot.

Police located the suspect identified as 35-year-old Jacob Saunstaire in the area of Douglas and Hillcrest and took him into custody without incident, according to Davidson. Police also recovered the money in the area of Douglas and Hillcrest.

Saunstaire was booked on one count of aggravated robbery. Saunstaire has four previous convictions for aggravated robbery in addition to convictions for flee and attempt to elude law enforcement and for criminal discharge of a firearm, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Topeka headquarters of Payless Shoesource will be auctioned online this week, after more jobs were eliminated by the company.

The company on Friday eliminated 35 merchandising positions in Topeka as part of what it calls a new merchandising structure. The jobs will either transfer to Dallas or not be filled.

The online auction of the nearly 307,000-square-foot headquarters will be held Monday through Wednesday, with a starting bid of $1.25 million.

Payless officials haven’t said exactly how many jobs have been eliminated in Topeka or if any divisions will be left here. At least 350 employees have been laid off, but more positions were moved to Dallas.

Payless has been restructuring after emerging from bankruptcy. It is relocating most of its corporate headquarters to Dallas.