By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post
SALINE COUNTY —Police arrested a Kansas felon after a pursuit through Salina ended in a stolen-vehicle crash and a severed power pole on Saturday night.
Just after 7a.m. Friday, police were sent to the 100 block of Fairdale Road for the report of a stolen vehicle, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester.
Michelle Peck, 41, of Salina, reported that her 2015 Nissan Armada valued at $25,000 was stolen from a driveway. A key fob had been left in the unlocked SUV.
At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, an officer observed the stolen SUV in the 1900 block of N. Ninth Street in Salina. When the officer attempted to stop the SUV, it sped away and a pursuit that included numerous side streets and Interstate 70 was underway.
The driver, later identified as 33-year-old Dustin Cole of Salina ultimately lost control of the SUV and crashed into two power poles at the southeast corner of the Roach Street and E. Prescott Road intersection.
The SUV also struck two boats on the property of Sankey Auto Center, Inc. The boats were a 1999 Pro Weld flat-bottom boat and a 2001 Bass Tracker 175.
Cole fled on foot and headed north across the old Smoky Hill River channel. He was captured by a Kansas Highway Patrol lieutenant in the 800 block of Elmhurst Boulevard, Forrester said. Cole allegedly was in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Cole is being held on requested charges of possession of stolen property, Felony obstruction, Felony flee and elude, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Possession of marijuana, Multiple traffic violations. Authorities did not arrest a woman passenger in the SUV.