Interstate Chase Ends in Shooting
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75¢ COLBY Thursday April 24, 2014 Volume 125, Number 65 Serving Thomas County since 1888 10 pages FFREEREE PPRESSRESS Interstate chase ends in shooting A man trying to elude a bevy of law enforcement The driver took off westbound on I-70, leading Police said, the driver got out and pointed what ap- formal charges. officers was shot and wounded by a state trooper Colby officers and at least one Kansas Highway Pa- peared to be a gun at officers. Officers fired, wound- A press release from the Highway Patrol said the Wednesday night after the chase ended just east of trol trooper, who had come to help with the search, ing the man. He and the woman were placed under trooper who fired at the man had joined the chase the the Edson exit on Interstate 70. on a chase at speeds past 90 mph. arrest. No officers were injured. after it entered Sherman County. A press release Thursday morning from the Col- Officers set up “stop sticks” at milepost 48 and re- Two Sherman County ambulances were paged out “As a standard practice and in accordance with by Police Department said officers were sent to the ported they might have gotten one of the car’s tires. at 10:40 p.m. (Central Time) The scene was reported Highway Patrol policy,” it added, “the trooper has Oasis Travel Center, just south of I-70 at the Range By the time the chase got into Sherman County, the secure at 10:50 p.m. The man was reported to have been placed on administrative leave while this case Avenue exit about 9:47 p.m., after a report of a man vehicle was running on flat tires, its speed down to two gunshot wounds, one on the chest and one on the is being investigated.” and woman allegedly soliciting for prostitution. Of- 65. It stopped in the westbound ditch of I-70 near lower abdomen. He was taken to Goodland Regional The Kansas Bureau of Investigation was called to ficers saw a similar car about 9:20 p.m. at the Pilot milepost 28, east of the Edson exit. Medical Center. A short time later, he was airlifted handle the case. A Crime Scene Investigation unit Truck Stop at the Country Club Drive exit, a mile to Two troopers coming from Goodland had joined to Wichita. was on the way to the area this morning. the east. A check of the vehicle’s tag indicated it had the chase as well as the Sherman County sheriff, un- The Colby Police said the woman was not hurt and been stolen in Texas. dersheriff and a deputy. Once the car stopped, Colby was being held at the Thomas County jail pending Manslaughter trial winds up The final witnesses were ques- House’s friend Robert Lehman; tioned this morning and the law- and House’s 13-year-old son yers were scheduled to make their Hunter, along with medics, doc- closing arguments this afternoon, tors and law enforcement officers. wrapping up the trial of a Brews- Each described a similar series of ter man who killed a friend in an events, in which the men spent the alleged drunk-driving accident evening drinking with friends, just more than two years ago. having a good time, with no fight- Defendant James Allen House ing. took the stand to tell his own story House told officers he saw Gal- today, the last witness in the case. lentine running in front of his He is on trial for involuntary man- truck, and perhaps jumping on top slaughter in the death of Val Gal- of it, as he drove towards the inter- lentine, whom he allegedly ran section of Main Street. over with a pickup the night of After realizing he had hit his March 10, 2012. friend, running over him with a More than a dozen witnesses tire, House said, he backed up have been examined so far this and immediately told the others week. They said House apparently to call 911 and get blankets and Going up hit his friend as he was about to towels to put on top of Gallentine. drive home after the two men, But the man had no pulse by the SAM DIETER/Colby Free Press both drunk, left Chelle’s Bar and time he was in an ambulance, and Hydraulics were part of the team (above) working for several Grill in Brewster. was pronounced dead at Citizens hours Wednesday afternoon to position the tower of a wind Witnesses included Michelle Medical Center. turbine at Colby Community College’s High Plains Small Swanson, owner of Chelle’s; Wind Test Center station west of town. The turbine went up (right) while the area was under a severe thunderstorm watch (below right). This is the Auction, dance second wind turbine at the site (below). This smaller tower went up at the test center earlier this month, and the col- to raise money lege may negotiate this summer for additions to An auction, dinner and dance auction. the site. Saturday at the American Legion Tom Simpson with TNT Auc- Hall on West Fourth Street will tion and Pat Sloan from Homeland raise money for the family of an Realty and Auction will oversee a 18-year-old Colby girl with termi- live auction starting at 7:30 p.m. nal cancer. The dance will follow, with Joe Doors will open for the barbe- Vyzourek, an on-air personality at cue dinner for Alisa Finley at 5:30 Rocking M Radio, as deejay. Any- p.m. Guests will be asked for a one who wants to donate items donation for the dinner and dance, for the auctions should call Katie and may bid on items at a silent Basgall (785) 443-1290. Day of Prayer next Thursday Next Thursday, May 1, is the this day each year at thousands of 63rd annual National Day of events across the country, praying Prayer, a day when groups gather at flagpoles, rallies and worship across the country to pray in pub- services. lic places. In Colby, the Thomas The theme for this year’s ob- County Ministerial Alliance will servance is “One Voice, United in lead a gathering around the flag- Prayer,” emphasizing the need for pole at the county courthouse at individuals, together and on their noon. own, to place their faith in God to Millions of people gather for guide the country. Energy upgrades start to pay off for schools By Sam Dieter Board on Monday. on April 25 last year. The firm and its saved when energy use is at its peak. first took a measurement based on what Colby Free Press Energy-saving upgrades saved the dis- subcontractors spent about two months Harrison explained to the board the the district has used to heat its buildings [email protected] trict $21,863, or 17 percent of its utility last summer replacing the middle school breakdown of where those savings came in the past, then calculated the adjusted bill this winter, according to a report by roof, reworking the heating and cooling from, based on how much energy the measurement based on how much energy The Colby schools are getting a return 360 Energy Engineers, which organized systems in the middle school, making district might have used during the espe- the buildings likely would have used this from a $1.5 million energy-saving project and directed the project. Superintendent improvements to the high school heating cially cold winter Colby experienced this winter if it had not had the upgrades. approved almost a year ago, according to Terrel Harrison told board members the and cooling system and improving light- year. In those three months, the firm reported, a report from the engineers who planned data for the report was gathered from De- ing and controls for all the buildings. For the electric system, the firm re- the district used a quarter less electricity the project submitted to the Colby School cember to February. Harrison pointed out Part of the contract called for 360 En- ported it saved $5,574, using $17,098 on than normal, or 171,360 kilowatts. This the project surpassed the $12,997 the firm ergy to provide a report on how much electricity, rather than the $22,671 base- means the district used only $17,098, or thought it would save the school. money and energy the district saved, and line that the firm calculated after adjust- 75 percent of the $22,671 baseline cost The district approved the $1.5 million Harrison said earlier in the school year ing for weather. the firm estimated. The baseline electric- contract, which the 360 Energy estimated that the firm would report after the win- Kevin Player, a measurement and veri- would save the school $52,000 a year, ter months to see how much money was fication specialist for the firm, said 360 See “ENERGY,” Page 2 Page 2 Colby Free Press Thursday, April 24, 2014 Area/State Weather Energy upgrades start to pay Briefly From “ENERGY,” Page 1 heating and cooling at the mid- room, for $221,107. The deadline for Briefly is noon the day before. Items submitted in the dle school cost $538,335. • The control system were up- morning will be set up for the following day, space available. The deadline ity use was 227,280 kilowatts, • The middle school roof was graded to include graphics with for Monday’s paper is noon Friday. or $232,441 when adjusted for replaced because there is some floor plans of the schools, tem- the weather.