Fleeing driver raced past officer in school zone

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By Bobbi Mlynar (Contact)

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Lyon County Sheriff’s deputies temporarily pulled back from a car chase Tuesday morning, but the driver of the stolen vehicle that was being pursued continued a path across central Emporia, despite deputies’ efforts to block the car from a school zone.

At the end of the chase, near Olpe, officers arrested Andrew W. Zeiner, 29; Kenny J. Shoemaker, 21; and Lindsey E. Hamm, 23, all of Emporia.

According to a press release from the sheriff’s office, a deputy had been flagged down Tuesday morning at about 8 o’clock at West Highway 50 and Road B2.

“The subject told the officer they had just passed the car, which they had reported stolen the night before to the Emporia Police Department,” the release said.

Another deputy in the area found the suspect vehicle driving eastbound on Highway 50 near Flying J Truck Stop. He checked the license plate number through dispatch and confirmed the vehicle was stolen. The deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop at Graphic Arts Road and 12th Avenue, but the vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed onto 12th Avenue, turned south onto Janice Street, then back eastbound on Highway 50.

“As the suspect neared Rural Street, the supervisor directed the officers to back off and not push the suspect into the school zone,” the release said. “Another deputy had stopped on Sixth Avenue between the schools with his lights on to encourage the suspect to turn off of Sixth Avenue to avoid the schools. The suspect turned south onto Neosho but then went east again on Fifth (Avenue).”

The deputy then moved his vehicle to Constitution Street and turned south, stopping at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Constitution Street to deter the suspect from continuing on in the area of the school.

“The suspect slowed but swerved around the stopped patrol car and continued east on Fifth to Merchant,” the release said.

The driver of the stolen vehicle took a series of zigzag turns on streets both east and west of Commercial Street before returning to Commercial and heading south out of Emporia toward Olpe.

Deputies used spike strips and managed to flatten one of the suspect’s tires. The vehicle slowed somewhat but continued fleeing, the release stated.

Deputies then tried to execute a “rolling road block” maneuver to box in the suspect, who drove off the road three times to avoid the officers.

The suspect struck one of the sheriff’s patrol units and caused minor damage.

At the intersection of Road K5 and Road 70, the driver lost control of the vehicle and went through the T intersection. and the suspects were apprehended and taken into custody.

Case reports will be turned over to the Lyon County Attorney’s office for consideration of formal charges.