SMITH CENTER – A Kansas man was sentenced Monday to more than 25 years in prison for rape, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Chris Eugene Wilkinson, 40, Norton, pleaded no contest in March to two counts of rape. Wilkinson was sentenced yesterday in Smith County District Court by Judge Preston A. Pratt to 155 months for each count.

The sentences are to be served consecutively for a total of 310 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections. The convictions stemmed from crimes that were committed between August 2010 and April 2014.

The case was investigated by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant Attorney General Melissa Johnson of Schmidt’s office and Smith County Attorney Tabitha D.R. Owen prosecuted the case.

DOUGLAS COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and asking for help to locate a suspect.

Just after 8:30 p.m. Monday police responded to a restaurant at 1501 West 23rd Street after report of a robbery.

Based on investigation it was determined that a black male wearing a red sweatshirt entered the business brandishing an edged weapon and demanded money.

The suspect fled the business with an undetermined amount of cash. An employee reported that during the incident he was struck by the suspect, not with the weapon, causing minor injuries that did not require medical attention. No other injuries were reported.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Lawrence and Douglas County at (785)843-TIPS (8477).

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas attorney general’s office has seized patient records from a closed nursing home after suing the owners.

The suit filed last week in Allen County stems from the closure of the Pinecrest Nursing Home in the southeast Kansas town of Humboldt.

The lawsuit alleges that there have been no efforts to secure or properly dispose of the records, even though the building where they are stored has been burglarized and trespassed upon since it ceased being occupied in 2011.

A court order authorized the seizure of the records. A hearing is scheduled for June 6.

Defendants in the suit include Georgia-based AltaCare Corporation. The phone number for the company has been disconnected.

SHERIDAN COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect following a confrontation with deputies.

Just before 1 a.m. Monday, the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic call west of Hoxie. While deputies were responding, the reporting party informed dispatch that the suspect had left the scene in a vehicle and was able to provide vehicle description, according to a media release.

While deputies were responding, the suspect vehicle was observed making a U-turn on U.S. 24 Highway at mile marker 78.

The deputy tried to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle. The suspect vehicle turned north on county road 110W and then sped away at a high rate of speed and a chase ensued.

The suspect led deputies on a car chase for some time, reaching speeds over 100 mph down county roads. Law

Enforcement backed off on the chase due to unsafe speeds. A short time later, Law Enforcement located the vehicle, a high-speed chase ensued again.

The suspect later returned to the residence of the initial call, exited the vehicle with a machete and advanced toward law enforcement.

The suspect ignored commands to drop the weapon and surrender. At this time, a law enforcement officer for the Sheriff’s Office successfully deployed his Taser, which was able to subdue the suspect. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident or injury.

Name of the suspect was not released.

GEARY COUNTY – Two Kansas teens were injured in an accident just before 4p.m. Monday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Ford Explorer driven by Dayton A. Bilyeu,18, Milford, was northbound on U.S. 77 eight miles north of Junction City.

The SUV crossed the center line, entered the west shoulder, traveled back to the east, began to roll, hit a guard rail, and continued to roll down an embankment.

Bilyeu was transported to Geary Community Hospital. A passenger in the SUV Katelynne A Bilyeu, 15, Milford, was transported to Children’s Mercy Hospital.

Both were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A south-central Kansas man has been convicted of causing a 2015 crash that killed two men as they walked near their home.

KAKE-TV  reports that a Sedgwick County jury on Monday convicted Myles Evans of two counts of involuntary manslaughter related to the August 2015 wreck.

Authorities said Evans was driving under the influence when he struck 72-year-old Paul LaBrue and 70-year-old David Bell in a residential area of Goddard. LaBrue’s dog also was killed.

A sentencing date was not immediately set.

SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a suspect on drug and driving charges.

On Friday evening, Mahala Shepherd, 24, Salina, was driving a 2001 Chevy Tahoe without permission in the 3000 Block of Foxboro Drive, according to Salina Police Capt. Paul Forrester.

The vehicle jumped the curb, hit a decorative planter and crashed into a tree.
Forrester said Shepherd then climbed out of the driver’s side window and fled the scene.

An eyewitness saw her run to a residence on Crescent Street.

Salina Police arrived at the residence to find Shepherd in the yard. Capt. Forrester said she was transported to the Salina Regional Health Center for treatment before being booked into the Saline County Jail shortly after 9:30 p.m.

Shepherd faces possession of methamphetamines, possession of drug paraphernalia, deprivation of property, driving without a license, driving without insurance, three counts of improper driving on a laned roadway, five counts of failure to report an accident and driving under the influence.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities in southern Kansas’ Sedgwick County say human remains have been found in a farm field just outside of Wichita’s city limits.

Sheriff’s Lt. Lin Dehning says the remains were found shortly before 3:30 p.m. Monday by the property owner while he was mowing.

Dehning says that it’s too early to tell the age and gender of the person whose remains were found, or whether any foul play was involved.

Dehning says the effort to identify the remains continues.

No additional details were available.

RENO COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities investigating an injury accident in Reno County.

Just after 2a.m. Monday deputies were dispatched to an accident involving a vehicle and pedestrian on Kansas 96 at Kent Road, according to the Reno County Sheriff’s Department.
Upon arrival deputies found a man identified as Daniel Earl Newburn, 30, Hutchinson, lying in the center of Kansas 96.
He had been walking across the highway when he was struck by a vehicle traveling south on K-96.

The driver identified as Edward Syres, Hutchinson, stated that he did not see the man in the roadway until it was too late. The driver attempted to swerve to miss him but struck him with the front driver side of the vehicle.

K-96 north and south were both shut down to allow for Life Team to land. They flew the victim to Wesley Medical Center.

Both the driver and his passenger were wearing their seat belts during the time of the accident. Neither of them sustained any injuries and were able to drive the vehicle from the scene of the accident.

Officials had no new information on Newburn’s condition late Monday.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Former NBA player Drew Gooden has graduated from the University of Kansas, 14 years after leaving early to play professional basketball.

The Kansas City Star  reports the 35-year-old graduated Sunday after completing his bachelor’s degree in communication studies.

The forward left school as a junior in 2002, and was chosen fourth overall in that year’s draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. He last played for the Washington Wizards in 2015-16. He averaged 11 points and 7 rebounds per game during his career.

Gooden says finishing his degree “is something I said I’d do and something I really wanted to do.” Gooden says he’s looking into getting his master’s degree and plans to send a copy of his diploma to former university head coach Roy Williams.

Several athletics department officials greeted Gooden on Sunday, including head basketball coach Bill Self. Some of his former college teammates also attended.