HUTCHINSON, Kan. – A Hutchinson area man is jailed on a bond of $11,500 after he allegedly led officers on a high speed chase Saturday evening.
22-year-old Benjamin McKinney is accused of felony flee and elude, aggravated assault, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and no driver’s license.
He was allegedly in a vehicle reported to Hutchinson Police as being stolen. The vehicle was spotted in Haven and that led to a sheriff deputy attempting to make a traffic stop on K-96. McKinney allegedly refused to stop leading to a chase that lasted 20 to 30 minutes according Sheriff Captain Darian Campbell.
He says they left K-96, going north and eventually ended up near Sandhills State Park where he allegedly went through a fence and then proceeded near Buhler and briefly into Harvey County. They eventually went south from there where the chase ended near Trail West and Worthington in eastern Reno County, this after he allegedly drove into a ditch.
There were others in the vehicle at the time of the chase. They were also detained according to Campbell.
All this occurring around 5 p.m., Saturday evening.
Campbell says McKinney had the keys to the vehicle and there was also a credit card inside that was allegedly used in Wichita.
In court, McKinney was told of the potential charges and his bond was left the same by Judge Trish Rose. That included the flee and elude case, but also a charge of theft and criminal use of a financial card.
You may recall that McKinney was sentenced in other case involving flee and elude case from a case from last year.
He entered pleas to felony flee and elude, four counts of auto burglary and felony theft for allegedly taking items from vehicles of employees of Portfolio Recovery Associates. He also allegedly stole one of the vehicles leading to an injury accident.
He was sentence of 12-months then granted 1-year probation. That all occurring back on July 25, of last year.
He is expected back in court on Wednesday, once the state files formal charges.