A Wichita man died after crashing during a high-speed chase with a Labette County Sheriff’s Office deputy Thursday afternoon, Feb. 6.
While on patrol Thursday around 2 p.m., a deputy driving northbound on Wallace Road observed a tan Ford F-150 pickup run the stop sign at 20000 Road at high speed. Upon seeing the deputy, the pickup’s driver attempted several evasive maneuvers to shake the deputy, including driving through a field, according to a release from the sheriff’s office.
After the deputy activated emergency lights, the driver turned northbound on Wallace Road and traveled at speeds exceeding 100 mph. The driver ran four motorists off the road and, at one point, slammed on his brakes, causing the deputy to sideswipe the suspect’s vehicle. Once the deputy went around the Ford pickup, the driver sped up, attempting to ram the deputy’s vehicle, the release said.
The driver continued northbound at high speed on Wallace Road, ignoring the warning signs, and missed the curve at 22097 Wallace Road, then collided with a tree near 22097 Wallace Road.
Emergency medical and Oswego and Neosho fire departments responded. The driver, identified as John Henry Jones V, 52, Wichita, was transported to Labette Health, where he succumbed to his injuries, the release said.
Deputies learned that Jones’ was driving with a suspended license and had arrest warrants pending in Montgomery and Neosho counties.
