Wichita Suspends Use of Spike Strips
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police in Wichita have suspended use of a tire-deflation device after a police officer was run over and critically injured by a fleeing and stolen SUV. The Wichita Eagle reports that police are reviewing procedures and policies in the wake of the injury to officer Brian Arterburn. The 25-year police veteran suffered chest, abdomen and brain injuries Tuesday when he was hit by a fleeing vehicle as he placed spike strips on a road in south Wichita. Deputy Police Chief Jose Salcido says there is no suggestion that Arterburn or other officers did anything wrong, but he believes it is wise to step back and review use of the tire-deflation device. Meanwhile, 31-year-old Justin Terrazas has been charged with fleeing and eluding police and various drug charges. road in south Wichita. Terrazas' next court appearance is scheduled for February 23rd.
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Kansas Board in Lengthy Legal Dispute over Abortion Case
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' medical board is enmeshed in a lengthy legal dispute over revoking the license of a doctor whose second opinions allowed the late Dr. George Tiller to terminate late-term pregnancies. A Shawnee County judge has for the second time overturned a board decision against Dr. Ann Kristin Neuhaus and directed it to reconsider its punishment. The judge narrowed the case in 2014 to problems with her record-keeping and last month ruled that the board did not adequately justify its revocation of her license on those grounds. The board expects to take up the case again in June. Its case against Neuhaus involved mental health exams in 2003 on 11 young patients. State law required a second doctor to find that their mental health would be permanently damaged without the procedure.
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Kansas AG Pushing to Strengthen Laws on Human Trafficking
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt is pushing for changes that would strengthen the state's laws against human trafficking. The state Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday introduced a bill containing Schmidt's proposals. He said in a statement that the changes would put Kansas "in the top tier" of states in fighting trafficking. His proposed changes include specifically making it a felony to knowingly sell travel services for sex tourism and declaring in state law that minors can never consent to trafficking. Another change proposed by Schmidt would create a new felony crime of trading in child pornography over the Internet. The bill also would increase the penalties for buying sex with a minor so that the presumed prison sentence for a first-time offender would nearly double to almost five years.
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KC Lawyer Admits to Conspiracy with Former Law Partner
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City lawyer admitted conspiring with his former law partner to steal money from St. Luke's Health Systems. Mark Schultz pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy. His former law partner, Alan Gallas, pleaded guilty last April to mail fraud and was sentenced Friday to one year in federal prison. Gallas also was ordered to pay restitution of about $1.2 million. The Kansas City Star reports the men collected money for the health system from patients who were behind on payments. Rather than forwarding the money to St. Luke's, Gallas directed more than $1.2 million be transferred to the law firm. Attorneys don't agree on how much money Schultz helped withhold. Gallas has been disbarred in Kansas and Missouri. Schultz's law licenses are still active in the two states.
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Kansas Police Chief Injured in Freak Accident
WILSON, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Highway Patrol says a central Kansas police chief was injured after an unoccupied police car struck him. The patrol say 69-year-old Wilson Police Chief Robert Charles Doepp was hurt early Friday on a highway one mile east of Wilson. The Hays Post reports a vehicle driven by 39-year-old Amanda Ann Thrasher, of Wilson, struck an Ellsworth County Sheriff's vehicle that was parked and unoccupied. That vehicle then hit an unoccupied Wilson police vehicle, which hit Doepp. Doepp was taken to Ellsworth County Medical Center, which declined to release his condition.
