HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 26-year-old man who is wanted as a person of interest in a Dodge City homicide investigation was arrested after a high speed chase in Reno County Monday night. Victor Gutierrez is being held in the Reno County Jail on an $20,000 bond.
According to the Reno County Sheriffs Department, Gutierrez is wanted for questioning by Dodge City Police. Dodge City Police Chief Craig Mellecker telling us that a person of interest in the homicide is in the Reno County Jail.
Police there responded to 613 W. Spruce around 5:15 p.m. Monday evening and found 30-year-old Natasha Pruitt dead of a gun shot wound. An autopsy is being performed in Kansas City on Wednesday.
Officers from the Reno and Stafford County Sheriff’s offices attempted to stop a Red Monte Carlo driven Gutierrez. A felony stop was going to be made on U.S. 50 and Whiteside Rd, just west of South Hutchinson when the suspect vehicle accelerated and fled with officers in pursuit at speeds over 120 mph. At U.S. 50 and Mayfield Rd., the suspect pulled over and was taken into custody without incident. He told deputies after his arrest that he had a gun in the car and cocaine in his wallet.
He made a first appearance Tuesday morning on the Reno County charges which include felony flee and elude, criminal in possession of a firearm and possession of cocaine.
He appeared before Judge Tim Chambers who told him of the potential charges. He was then asked if he would be hiring his own attorney and he smarted back using a cuss word. Judge Chambers warned him that he was “one quarter of an inch of being found in contempt of court.” He then changed his tune somewhat and answered “no.” He was assigned the Regional Public Defender’s Office to represent him in the local case and the judge increased the bond to $20,000. He’ll be back in court later this week once the state files formal charges.
Sheriff Randy Henderson says detectives from Dodge City were in Hutchinson Tuesday working on the homicide case from their city.
In addition to the bond here, and the hold in Ford County, he also has a hold from the Kansas Department of Corrections according to Assistant District Attorney Andrew Davidson.