Officials unable to locate chase suspect

Local law enforcement authorities are trying to locate a suspect who led various agencies on a reported high-speed chase Monday evening.

Fort Scott Police Department Capt. Shaun West said Tuesday the FSPD, Bourbon County Sheriff's Office and Kansas Highway Patrol were involved in a pursuit of a male suspect on a motorcycle that ended in the 10 block of North National Avenue. West said the original call involved a BCSO deputy contacting dispatch regarding the pursuit.

As of Tuesday, the police report only contained some notes from police officers about the chase.

"A subject was trying to enter the city limits from the north end (of town)," West said. "The original pursuit was chasing a motorcycle on the north end of town."

West confirmed the pursuit reached "triple-digit speeds." He said the suspect's motorcycle was collected following the pursuit.

Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin said law enforcement authorities are still investigating the case and have not made any arrests or been able to locate the suspect. Martin said a sheriff's report on the incident was "vague" and he could not provide details on the male suspect as it is still under investigation.

Martin said he was not sure where the original pursuit began or the circumstances that led to it. He said the report did not currently contain a reason or "probable cause" for pursuit.

"I'm not sure where it started," he said. "We're still trying to put the pieces together. We're still following up on leads."

West said the chase apparently ended near a business in the 10 block of North National. Employees of the business informed a sheriff's deputy the suspect had parked behind the business and walked down an alleyway.

"An officer reported the suspect walking down the alley," West said.

Law enforcement officers then searched buildings in that area in an attempt to locate the suspect but were unsuccessful.

"The suspect or person of interest fled on foot in the area," Martin said.

West said the suspect parked the motorcycle "near the downtown area" and a wrecker service was called to tow it off. He also said the police report did not indicate a reason "for a stop or attempted stop or pursuit." The report had no information on the suspect.

The Fort Scott Fire Department was also dispatched to the scene with a ladder truck. According to scanner reports, a person was believed to be on the roof of one of the buildings in the area.

"They took it down there but I don't think they used it," Fort Scott Fire Chief Paul Ballou said.

Martin said the incident began about 6:15 p.m. and the search for the driver ended about 6:20 p.m. where the suspect was last seen in the search area. Officials began to clear the scene about 7:20 p.m.

"We're still attempting to locate the driver," he said.