MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after a two day search.
Just after 8p.m. June 8, sheriff's deputies responded to a request for assistance from Elk County Sheriff’s Office, who were involved in a felony vehicle pursuit, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.
Elk County deputies were pursuing a stolen van out of Sedgwick County, being driven by Devon Simmons.
Montgomery County deputies joined the pursuit in the area of County Road 1100 at County Road 5400 at the Montgomery and Chautauqua County line.
Simmons continued to elude law enforcement for several miles at a high rate of speed using gravel roads. The pursuit eventually terminated in the area of County Road 2300 at County Road 3400 where deputies lost sight of the vehicle.
With the assistance of Elk County and Kansas Highway Patrol, deputies were able to set up a perimeter, covering nearly 560 acres, where they believed Simmons and the vehicle were located.
At the request of law enforcement, a drone operator with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and KHP’s fixed wing aircraft, equipped with Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR), were contacted to respond to the area.
Law enforcement was unable to locate the vehicle or Simmons and ultimately released the perimeter.
On the morning of June 9, Montgomery County Dispatch received a call advising a Honda ATV was stolen out of a barn in the area of County Road 3400 and County Road 2500.
A deputy who’d been in the area patrolling, recalled seeing the ATV approximately 30 minutes prior to it being reported stolen eastbound on County Road 3400.
The deputy also believed it was occupied by a white female and male at the time.
This theft occurred within ½ mile of the location where the pursuit was terminated the night before. Deputies with Montgomery County again saturated the area attempting to locate the ATV but were unsuccessful.
The stolen van was located shortly after, abandoned in a field. The van was located within the perimeter law enforcement had set the night before.
At approximately 1:20 PM, a deputy with Montgomery County located a man and woman on the east side of Braum’s in Independence. The deputy recognized them to be the same individuals observed operating the Honda ATV on County Road 3400. Through his criminal investigation, the deputy was able to identify the subjects as Devon Simmons and Jewels Simmons.
Jewels revealed the location of the four-wheeler to be in the area of 15th and Poplar hidden behind a vacant property. Jewels also stated they threw the keys which belonged to the stolen van on top of the house.
Deputies were able to recover both the keys and ATV. Deputies transported the suspects to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections on charges of Burglary, Criminal Damage to Property, Possession of Stolen Property and Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer were recommended to the County Attorney’s Office.