CAPT. STEVE LUTZ
Reno County Sheriff's Office
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Thursday afternoon just before 2:30 p.m. the Hutchinson Police Department was dispatched to a hit and run which occurred at 4th Ave and Hendricks in Hutchinson.
The suspect vehicle, a white Ford F350 continued west bound on 4th Ave with the other vehicle following behind. The occupant of the other vehicle called 911 and was giving Dispatch their location and the description of the suspect vehicle.
An officer with the Hutchinson Police Department located the Ford F350 at the Reno County Landfill, in the Pit area. The officer pulled in behind the Ford F350 in the pit area and activated their emergency lights. The driver of the F350 put the vehicle in reverse and accelerated rapidly crashing into the front of the Hutchinson Police Department patrol vehicle, causing it to be disabled. The driver of the F350 then fled the scene.
Reno County Sheriff's Deputies located the vehicle driving toward the scale house in the landfill. Deputies attempted to make a traffic stop on the vehicle; however, the driver refused to pull over. At the scale house, HPD units had set up stop sticks, and the driver of the F350 stopped the vehicle. A felony stop was performed, and the driver who was identified as Tommie Jones failed to comply with orders to exit the vehicle.
Eventually Mr. Jones exited the vehicle and was taken into custody with no further incident. Thomas Jones, the passenger of the F350 was temporarily detained at the scene before being interviewed and released. Tommie was taken to the Reno County Correctional Facility on charges connected with the chase and the hit and run.
The Kansas Highway Patrol worked the initial hit and run at 4th Ave and Hendricks. The Reno County Sheriff's Office worked the criminal case. South Hutchinson Police Department also assisted in this situation.