Multi-county chase ends outside Girard, one shot

BY ALEX BATTITORI

The calm afternoon of Tuesday, May 3, was broken as two Crawford County deputies became involved in a shootout with a Columbus man following a pursuit that originated in Cherokee County.

The subject, identified as Kevin Duncan, sustained a gunshot wound and was taken to an area hospital. The deputies involved were uninjured.

Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office responded originally to a call at 4:42 p.m. when Duncan allegedly discharged a firearm and threatened violence toward several individuals.

After arriving on the scene, the deputy attempted to stop Duncan after reportedly witnessing the man swerve at an oncoming motorist. Duncan fled, and Columbus City Police and Cherokee County Sheriff’s deputies pursued him through Columbus.

Duncan headed north, and Columbus PD left off the pursuit at the city limits. Cherokee County deputies continued to tail him into Crawford County, where Crawford County Sheriff’s deputies took over the pursuit. During the chase, police radio indicated Duncan’s speeds broke 110 mph as he followed Highway 7 through Cherokee and into Girard.

The suspect then turned east onto Highway 47 and headed for Highway 69. Stop sticks were deployed, and Duncan was stopped at the intersection of Highway 47 and 200th Street where he was shot by police.

Following the chase, the two-mile section of Highway 47 between 200th Street and Highway 69 was closed off for the remainder of the evening and into the morning of Wednesday, May 4.

Duncan was involved in a high-speed chase in September 2010 after a hit-and-run at the Riverton stoplight. The chase ended with Duncan intentionally driving his car into a river. Alcohol was believed to have been involved.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has now taken over investigation of the Tuesday incident. There is currently no word on the charges Duncan will be facing in either Cherokee or Crawford County.