By ERIC MEYER

Staff writer

A chase that originated in McPherson County at speeds of up to 106 mph veered south off US-56 and became a dangerous grand tour of multiple city streets in Hillsboro shortly after 6 a.m. Monday.

It ended nine minutes later on Holly Rd. just west of the Hillsboro airport.

Three people were taken into custody. As many as three police vehicles, two residential yards, and possibly a utility pole were damaged in the chase.

As the vehicle entered Marion County, deputy Landis Goodman was asked by two McPherson County officers pursuing it to set up tire-flattening stop sticks.

He was preparing to do so at US-56 and K-256 near Marion when the car turned south onto Ash St. in Hillsboro at 6:19 a.m.

Hillsboro officer David Funk, investigating six vehicle burglaries and a vehicle theft after coming on duty a little more than an hour earlier, picked up the pursuit.

The car, a 2013 GMC Terrain that turned out to have been stolen overnight from Quadaloupe Sosme in Hillsboro, caught the attention of law enforcement officers in McPherson County because it was the suspect car in multiple burglaries there. They began pursuing it east of US-56.

Once back in Hillsboro, the Terrain went south to Cooperative Grain and Supply, through a lot there, then onto a series of Hillsboro streets.

According to monitored transmissions, the car went south on Cedar St., east on D St., north on Wilson St., west on A St., north on Main St., west on Grand Ave., south on Birch St., west on D St., and finally south on Holly Rd.

On Holly Rd., the stolen car was bumped by Funk’s cruiser because Funk was driving close behind it on a rain-slickened sand road. The driver drove into a muddy field, and the car’s three occupants fled on foot, Hillsboro Police Chief Jessey Hiebert said.

“They’re in the ditch but still mobile,” Funk told dispatchers at 6:28 a.m., his siren obscuring most of his transmission. “The pursuit is over. I have one in custody.”

Goodman, who by that time had joined Funk, radioed moments later that a second person was in custody and a third was being sought.

Deputy Bruce Burke, who had just come on duty, and Hillsboro assistant chief Randy Brazil, who returned to duty after ending his shift less than an hour earlier, joined them. Hiebert also came on duty.

Deputy Josh Meliza and his drug-sniffing dog, Karma, initially were summoned but later were told they weren’t needed.

Burke and Goodman reported that a third suspect who had fled on foot was apprehended.

Hillsboro ambulance was called to check the third suspect who, Goodman said, “seems to be having some sort of medical problem.” The suspect declined to be taken to a hospital.

McPherson County deputies took the three suspects into custody.

Booked into the McPherson County Jail were Javell Q. Evans, 20, Wichita; Patric G. Patterson, 26, Lindsborg; and Fernando J. Figueroa-Rosello, 47, Hutchinson. Patterson’s father lives in Hillsboro, Hiebert said.

Brazil documented damage to yards at 506 and 513 S. Wilson St. and to a utility pole there.

Kansas Highway Patrol was called to investigate because Hillsboro, Canton, and McPherson County law enforcement vehicles apparently were damaged during the chase.

The stolen vehicle was towed to an Auto House lot in Hillsboro.

Reporter Phyllis Zorn contributed to this story.