Man Charged with Attempted Rape of Blind KC Hospital Patient
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jackson County prosecutors say a man is facing felony charges after a patient at a Kansas City hospital reported that he tried to rape her. 31-year-old Elisha Beraiah was charged Saturday with first-degree attempted rape and first-degree sodomy. Prosecutors say officers responded to a call Thursday at University Health Medical Center. The victim, who is visually impaired, said a man assaulted her while she was in her hospital bed. A hospital staff member said she went into the room and saw Beraiah in the woman's bed with his pants down. He is being held without bond. Online court records don't name an attorney for him.
==========
Kansas GOP Hopes to Save Plan to Limit State Regulations
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republicans hope to revive a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would make it easier for the GOP-controlled Legislature to overturn state agencies’ regulations. The House voted 80-33 this week to approve the measure, leaving supporters four votes short of the two-thirds majority needed for passage. The House can take a second vote, but it must occur Monday or the measure dies. Attorney General Derek Schmidt outlined the proposal last year after Republicans spent months criticizing Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Schmidt is the presumed GOP nominee for governor this year. Democrats claim that the proposal is politically motivated, while Republicans say it would rein in bureaucrats.
==========
Kansas Rollover Accident Claims Lives of Texas Family
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - The Kansas Highway Patrol says that four people were killed in a single rollover crash this weekend. KSN.com reports that their pickup truck was traveling in Linn County Friday when it hit an icy patch on the road, lost control, and flipped over into a flooded wildlife area. The victims have been identified as 66-year-old Larry Klingensmith, 65-year-old Kimberly Klingensmith, 32-year-old Karly Klingensmith, and 36-year-old Nicolas Klingensmith, all from Winnsboro, Texas.
==========
Man Charged after Two People Fatally in Wichita
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 20-year-old man has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder after two people were shot to death at a southeast Wichita home. Brandon Prouse Jr., was charged Friday during his first court appearance in the case. His bond was set at $1 million. Wichita police went to a home on February 13th to investigate a call about a shooting. Officers say 38-year-old Bonnie Galloway and 30-yaer-old Connor O’Callaghan were shot and died at the scene. Police say the victims and Prouse knew each other and the shooting was believed to be related to drugs.
===========
Topeka Man Charged after Multi-County Chase Ends in Head-on Collision
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - A Topeka Man is being held after a multi-car chase ended with a head-on collision with a Capitol police vehicle. WIBW reports the incident began when 36-year-old Jeffrey Eugene Peak after allegedly stole a 1978 pickup truck in Topeka. Law enforcement pursued Peak from Shawnee county to Pottawatomie and Jackson counties, with the pursuit ending just west of the Jefferson county line. A passenger in the vehicle was released. Peak is being held in the Jackson County jail. Charges are pending.
===========
Man Found Guilty in Shooting Death of Lawrence Man
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A 25-year-old man was convicted of killing a man he was trying to remove from his home. Steven Drake was convicted Friday of killing 26-year-old Bryce Holladay in September 2017. Drake was charged with first-degree murder but the jury convicted him on the lesser charge. Drake testified during the trial that he shot Holladay in self-defense as he was trying to get Holladay to leave his duplex. He testified that Holladay was stealing from the home and was violent. Prosecutors said Drake shot Holladay with premeditation, citing texts he sent to other people saying he was going to shoot Holladay.