[LordFoulsBane]

Breifly what happened (ongoing investigation and all)...

Male driving an SUV struck a pick-up at Presto and started to flee the scene. The driver/owner of the pick-up went into Presto, where a couple of SO deputies were stopping for some coffee, and told the deputies that their truck had just been hit and the person was leaving.

SO deputies headed west on trail into Dodge City after the SUV. SO requested assistance from PD units. One of my officers was at 1st and Trail as the SUV sped by at a very high, but undetermined, rate of speed. He observed the vehicle bottom out at 2nd and Trail where the driver lost control and headed somewhat north towards Lopps, but then over corrected and struck the electrical pole head on at 3rd and Trail (full airbag deployment) where the vehicle spun a number of times and then struck the NW corner of Ace Hardware.

The driver (who was uninjured except for some airbag rash on his face) was quickly apprehended by PD and SO officers. Alcohol contributed to the incident. PD units were not involved in the pursuit, but assisted SO onscene with traffic control and diagraming the result.

When the vehicle struck the electrical pole shearing it off at its base. Power was knocked out for about a third of Dodge. Aquila was on scene quickly and was able to restore power to most of the effected area in a couple hours, but the rest took a bit more work. When I cleared from the scene, Aquila was in the process of drilling a hole for a power pole.

The rumor as to the vehicle being a LEOs vehicle, is just that, rumor. Until SO, whose investigation this is, tells me otherwise, I will say that this rumor, for me, is not factual.

The smoke that decended on Dodge City last night, we believe came from a controlled burn SW of the city. The wind kicked up briefly late in the evening and the smoke drifted over the city and unfortunately, the wind then disappeared and left us with the smoke. We had a couple of fire calls due to this. So, no fire in the city last night.

P158