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Two hurt in crash during chase

By Caroline Trowbridge - | Sep 15, 2004

Two Leavenworth County residents were injured last week following a lengthy, early-morning chase that ended when their car crashed south of Basehor and erupted in flames.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Charlie Yates, a sheriff’s deputy saw a car cross the center line of U.S. Highway 24-40 in extreme southwestern Leavenworth County about 2:50 a.m. last Wednesday. The officer turned around to pursue the 1993 two-door Toyota, which stopped at Loring Road.

“As the officer rolls up, he takes off and it’s on,” Yates said.

The 18-mile chase went east on Loring Road, then north on Leavenworth County Road 1 to Kansas Avenue, through the mobile home park, back onto Kansas Avenue, east to 214th Street, north to Evans Road, then east to near 158th Street, where the vehicle left the road, struck a utility pole, overturned several times and came to rest on its wheels. The vehicle caught on fire.

Neither the driver, Jesse A. Plaster, 23, rural Tonganoxie, nor his passenger, Jillian B. Theno, 23, rural Basehor, was wearing a seatbelt, and they were ejected from the vehicle. Plaster, who was taken to the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kan., by Leavenworth County Medical Service, was treated and released from the hospital on Thursday. Theno, who was taken to the same hospital by air ambulance was treated and released on Friday, hospital officials said.

Yates said reports would be forwarded to the county attorney’s office.

He said he didn’t believe speeds during the chase on gravel roads were excessive. But he said speeds on blacktop roads were above the speed limit. Only one sheriff’s deputy was involved in the chase, he said.

“Tonganoxie (police) attempted to assist in the trailer court area, but the vehicle bypassed the Tonganoxie officer and traveled on,” Yates said.