Jury trial in kidnapping case underway
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The trial for a 32-year-old Hutchinson man charged with kidnapping got underway in Reno County District Court Tuesday afternoon. 
Todd Lloyd is accused of holding his girlfriend at knife point in front of several police officers after he tried to elude community corrections officers who wanted him taken into custody on a violation from an earlier case. This occurring back on April 23.
On the stand Tuesday afternoon was Police Sgt. Eric Buller who again testified over what happened the day of the incident and again told of the defendant wanting them to shoot him saying he didn’t want to go back to jail. He says Lloyd kept threatening to cut his girlfriend or hurt her if officers didn’t back off. Buller was close to shooting Lloyd, but couldn’t get a good shot. Buller says even after they used a taser, he fought with officers and there was even concern at one point that he was going to grab the gun of Sgt. Josh Radloff during that struggle. He was eventually placed in cuffs, but was still verbally abusive and continued to demand that they shoot him.
The case is being prosecuted by District Attorney Keith Schroeder and the defendant is being represented by Wichita Attorney Carl Maughn.
Lloyd had been on community corrections for a felony flee and elude case that goes back to August of 2011, but was accused of violating his corrections leading to the confrontation.
The case is being heard by a nearly all male jury, with only one woman on the panel.
The trial continues Wednesday morning in front of Judge Trish Rose.
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Suspect in recent chase and arson cases expected in court Wednesday
Lutz
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The man arrested after a high-speed chase in Reno County earlier this month is expected back in court Wednesday morning where he is expected to be read the formal charges against him.
Scott Lutz was captured back on October 12, after police got information that he was hiding in an attic of a residence located at 415 East B. Officers responded to the home and established verbal contact with him, but he refused to comply and soon set a small fire in the attic. With the assistance of the Hutchinson Fire Department and the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, officers gained access to the attic and placed Lutz into custody without incident. Lutz was transported to the Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for minor cuts and scrapes.
Bond in the case is set at $172,500, which includes the bonds for the warrants and potential new charges of felony flee and elude, aggravated arson and felony interference of law enforcement.
Sheriff officials had been searching for Lutz ever since he lead them on a high-speed chase through the county on October 8. The stolen truck he was driving was later found in Ellsworth County, forcing schools there to go on a heightened state of alert that morning.
Lutz has previous convictions here in Reno County for obstruction, unlawful manufacturing or attempting to manufacture meth, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of effedrine, robbery and criminal damage to property.
He also has a conviction for felony flee and elude for a case out of McPherson County and convictions from Russell County going back to 2008.