FRANKLIN COUNTY- A Kansas woman died in an accident just before 8a.m. on Thursday in Franklin County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Honda Accord driven by Jessica D. Elmquist, 34, Osawatomie, was westbound on Cloud Road two miles north of Richmond.
The vehicle drifted off the roadway, hit the concrete barrier rail and rolled into the north roadside ditch.
Elmquist was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics.
She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
POTTAWATOMIE – Law enforcement authorities in northeast Kansas completed an investigation into illegal drug use and sales and made three arrests.
On Monday evening, members of the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by members of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks executed 3 search warrants on Monday evening at homes in the rural Manhattan area of Pottawatomie County.
Deputies found marijuana totaling approximately 9 pounds, cash and firearms.
They arrested Sandra S. Snyder, 70, of 6240 Sparrow Lane for Possession of Marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia. She was released on a $1000 bond
Robert E. Snyder, 67, of 5733 Elbo View Drive for Possession of marijuana with intent to sell, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Criminal use of Firearms, No drug tax stamp for marijuana or controlled substance. He was released on $50,000 bond.
Brian D. Greer, 42, of 6238 Canary Lane for Possession of marijuana with intent to sell, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Criminal use of Firearms, No drug tax stamp for marijuana or controlled substance.
Greer is currently at the Pottawatomie County Jail. His bond is set at $50,0000.
NASHVILLE -The missing Tennessee teacher Tad Cummins and kidnapped student Elizabeth Thomas have been located in Northern California, according to a social media report from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Authorities arrested Cummins and Thomas is safe.
Cummins and 15-year-old Elizabeth Thomas were reported missing on March 13.
The last confirmed sighting of the pair was two days later at an Oklahoma City Wal-Mart.
Police issued an Amber alert for Thomas and say they had a warrant charging Cummins with sexual contact with a minor and aggravated kidnapping.
No additional details were released late Thursday morning.
Image of suspect shooting at officer from dash cam video-courtesy Pleasant Valley Police
LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A man has been sentenced to a century in prison for shooting a suburban Kansas City, police officer in the face in 2014.
Thirty-three-year-old Omar Maria was sentenced Wednesday in Clay County, where he was convicted in March of assault on a law enforcement officer and armed criminal action.
Jurors concluded that Maria shot Pleasant Valley Police Officer Jacob Baldwin during a December 2014 traffic stop on Interstate 35 near Interstate 435.
Prosecutors said Baldwin pulled over a car driven by Maria
Maria- photo Clay Co.
for a vehicle registration violation, and that Maria jumped out of the vehicle and repeatedly fired at Baldwin’s windshield. Maria then sped away.
WAKEENEY — A man serving five consecutive life sentences for the murders of five people in northwest Kansas is scheduled to have a parole hearing this summer.
According to the office of the Trego County Attorney, Francis Donald Nemechek’s parole hearing will be held in the month of July.
Nemechek was sentenced in March 1977 for the crimes, which included three separate incidents.
According to court documents, Sheryl Lynn Young, 21, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Diane Lynn Lovette, 19, Fort Madison, Iowa; and Guy William Young, 3, Colorado Springs, were picked up by defendant on Interstate 70 near Ogallah on Dec. 13, 1974, after experiencing car trouble. The two women were taken to an abandoned farmhouse in Graham County where the two women were shotgunned to death and Guy, a 3-year-old boy, was left to freeze. The bodies were found on Jan. 13, 1975.
Carla Baker, a college student, was abducted on the evening of June 30, 1976, as she rode her bicycle near the west edge of Hays. Her remains were recovered Sept. 21, 1976, in a deserted area at Cedar Bluff Reservoir in Trego County after Nemechek told police where to look for her body.
Paula Fabrizius, 16, worked as a park ranger at Cedar Bluff State Park during the summer months. On Aug. 21, 1976, she was abducted from her duty post. After an extensive search, her body was found the next day near Castle Rock in Gove County.
Nemechek was arrested on Aug. 24, 1976. He is now 66 years old and has been an inmate of Lansing Correctional Facility since his sentencing, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
“The state introduced extensive evidence connecting defendant to the crimes, with the most damning evidence being defendant’s confession to the five crimes,” court documents stated.
Prior to the July parole hearing there will be three opportunities for friends and families of victims to appear in person and testify:
• 10 a.m. to noon June 14 at Derby Police and Courts
• 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. June 23 at Municipal Court House in Topeka
• 10 a.m. to noon June 26 at City Hall in Kansas City, Kan.
Anyone unable to attend the public input sessions can send a letter by May 19 to Kansas Department of Corrections, Prisoner Review Board, 714 SW Jackson, Ste. 300, Topeka, KS 66603.
RILEY COUNTY- The search for a missing Fort Riley soldier is over and he is in custody.
On Wednesday, Fort Riley asked the Riley County Police Department to check the welfare of one of their soldiers, Staff Sgt. Garett Michael Swift, 37, a fire support specialist, according to a media release.
Officers were initially unable to locate Swift for several hours.
In the time between when police began looking for him and when he was located, Fort Riley issued a warrant for Swift’s arrest.
After RCPD made contact with Swift and verified that he was safe, police arrested him on the Fort Riley warrant.
Initially there was no warrant for Swift’s arrest, according to police. Authorities were simply attempting to verify that he was safe.
Details on the warrant were not released early Thursday.
Reno Co. fire on March 4, photo courtesy of Andrea Leiker
RENO COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities continue to investigate the cause of the fires on March 4-5 in Reno County.
The 43rd and Jupiter Hills fire on March 4, started along the road with no other possible sources of ignition located in the area. This fire is suspicious in nature, according to the Reno County Fire District #3 and the Reno County Sheriff’s Department.
On that same day, a fire occurred at 17th and Faubion – that has also been ruled suspicious in nature.
On March 5, about a half mile west of 82nd and Monroe, a fire started along the road. A firework was found in the area. The firework, known as a Ground Bloom, spins on the ground rapidly emitting a heavy shower of sparks from 8 to 16 inches in length. It’s not known if this was intentional or accidental. This fire is also considered suspicious in nature, according to officials.
Later that same day in the 9500 block of North Hendricks, a fire was reported north and west of the original fire.
There are several witnesses stating there was no smoke in the area shortly before this fire was reported. It is not likely this was a rekindle from the previous fire. This fire is also suspicious in nature.
There are no suspects at this time, according to officials.
If anyone has information about any of these fires, they are asked to call Crime Stoppers of Reno County at 620-694-2666 or 1-800-222-8477.
OSAGE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged threat at a high school.
At 6 p.m. Wednesday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office was made aware of a possible threat to USD 434-Santa Fe Trail High School in Scranton, according to a media release. An investigation began immediately.
At 7 pm, deputies arrested a 15-year-old boy.
This was a verbal threat; no weapons or explosives were involved. The case will be forwarded to the Osage County Attorney’s Office Thursday to determine formal charges.
The Santa Fe Trail School District opted to close the school Thursday due to the threat.
Despite closing, the district did report that SFTJH track athletes will participate in the meet at Sabetha Thursday. Officials felt it would be safe for students to meet and to load busses
WICHITA, KAN. – A man who held a jewelry store owner at gunpoint was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in federal prison, according to U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.
Terence L. Thomas, 25, Wichita, pleaded guilty to one count of brandishing a firearm during a jewelry store robbery and one count of bank robbery in a separate incident
In the jewelry store robbery, Thomas admitted he had a knife when he approached the owner of Kim Chee Jewelry at 2038 N. Broadway as the owner and his wife arrived for work.
The owner drew a handgun in self-defense. The two men wrestled and shots were fired before Thomas got the gun. He forced the owner to open the door to the business. When Thomas tried to drag the owner’s wife into the business, she fell to the ground, feigning a heart attack. Thomas fled the scene after the owner locked him out of the business. A witness took photos of Thomas’ car as he fled, which helped police to identify Thomas and arrest him.
In a separate incident a month earlier, Thomas robbed the Fidelity Bank at 3525 E. Harry. He told the teller, “This is a robbery,” and counted down from twenty while the teller put cash in his bag. He fled the bank with the money.
