A 22-year-old Winfield man ? who works for the Cowley County Sheriff’s Dept. ? was the suspect arrested following a pursuit Sunday evening, sheriff Don Read said.
Jarrett T. Loughery was booked into the county jail on felony attempt to elude and reckless driving charges. Read said Loughery, who worked as a corrections officer at the jail, has been suspended indefinitely without pay pending the outcome of the investigation.
He has a $2,300 bond.
A pursuit began just before 8 p.m when sheriff’s deputy Mike Kennedy observed a traffic violation while patrolling U.S. 160 near the intersection of 121st Rd. As Kennedy turned his vehicle around to make a traffic stop, the suspect attempted to elude officers.
The suspect traveled north on 121st Rd. near the intersection of Cowley 18 ? an area where the road reaches a dead end. At that point, Loughery is said to have turned his vehicle ? a truck ? around and headed toward Kennedy.
Kennedy used his patrol car to force the oncoming vehicle into the west ditch. Both vehicles sustained damage but no one was injured.
Because the incident involved a sheriff’s dept. employee, the investigation has been turned over to the Kansas Highway Patrol.