A high-speed vehicle pursuit in rural Saline County escalated into a violent assault and subsequent arrest.
On October 13th, a Saline County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop a speeding Chevrolet Silverado. The driver, later identified as 30-year-old Wyatt Stimatze of Little River, fled the traffic stop.
During the pursuit, a passenger in the vehicle, a 51-year-old man from Ellinwood, requested to be let out. When Stimatze refused, a physical altercation ensued. The victim claimed that Stimatze threatened to kill him and then ran him over with the truck near the 2500 block of South Muir Road. The victim sustained injuries and was hospitalized.
After an extensive search, Stimatze turned himself in on October 24th. He now faces multiple charges, including attempted second-degree murder, kidnapping, criminal threat, reckless driving, and aggravated battery. His bond was set at $250,000, and his next court appearance is scheduled for November 4th.
