BUTLER COUNTY—Authorities investigating a high-speed law enforcement chase that sent three people to the hospital including a Kansas police officer released additional details on what led to the crash.
Just after 6p.m. Monday, deputies responded to the Butler County-Greenwood County line on US 400 for a vehicle that failed to yield to Greenwood County deputies, according to Butler County Undersheriff Daimon Cundiff.
It had been reported that a pickup truck pulling an empty boat trailer struck another vehicle and after being located by law enforcement, the driver later identified as Allan Milton Firman III, 44, Wichita, refused to stop, according to Cunfiff.
As the truck reached the county line on US 400, the pursuing Greenwood County deputy ended the pursuit. A short time later, Butler County Emergency Communications received another call of a reckless driver involving a vehicle matching the description of the truck and trailer pursued by Greenwood County.
The sheriff’s office said reports indicated that the truck was driving into oncoming traffic at a high rate of speed in a construction zone near Beaumont.
A deputy then spotted the truck heading west in the area of US 400 and Pickrell Road. The deputy tried to stop the pickup but Firman continued west.
The sheriff’s office said deputies set up tire deflation devices along the highway ahead of a fleeing truck and at one point, the driver swerved into the median to avoid the device. In that process, the fleeing pickup nearly hit a deputy, according to Cundiff.
The pickup continued west in the eastbound lanes of US 400 and deputies deployed another tire deflation device near US 400 and Lunger Road on the east side of Augusta.
The pickup entered the city of Augusta and the pickup struck the Augusta Police Department Dodge Durango Pursuit driven by Officer Kyle E. Sisco with the Augusta Police Department, according to the Kansas Highway Patro.
EMS transported Firman, a passenger in the pickup Sandra C. Schopplein, 47, Derby and Sisco to Wichita area hospitals. Just after 11p.m. Monday, Firman was booked into the Butler County Jail on requested charges of fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, drug charges, driving under the influence, transporting an open container and reckless driving, according to Cundiff.
Firman has two previous convictions for aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
Firman is set to make his first court appearance on Wednesday afternoon.
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BUTLER COUNTY —Three people were injured in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Monday in Butler County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the law enforcement were in pursuit of a 2020 Chevy Silverado that was pulling a was pulling a 2020 Karavan boat trailer westbound in the eastbound lanes of U.S. 54.
Firman has two previous convictions for aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
The pickup driven by Allan Milton Firman III, 44, Wichita, struck the left rear corner of a 2023 Dodge Durango Pursuit driven by Officer Kyle E. Sisco with the Augusta Police Department.
EMS transported Firman, a passenger in the pickup Sandra C. Schopplein, 47, Derby and Sisco to Wichita area hospitals. The occupants of the pickup were properly restrained, according to the KHP. Just after 11p.m. Monday, Firman was booked into the Butler County Jail. He has two previous convictions for aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.