In two pursuits, Wichita police arrest men after drugs, gun were thrown from vehicles
Two 19-year-old Wichita men were arrested Monday morning in connection to police pursuits where items were thrown from the vehicles.
In the first case, Tykwon Branch was arrested on suspicion of felony evade and elude, traffic violation and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Officer Paul Cruz said an officer tried to stop the driver of a speeding Pontiac Grand Am traveling west on Kellogg at around 1 a.m.
The driver exited onto West Street before hitting a curb and street sign near Douglas and Bebe, according to a police report.
“He exited the vehicle and ran from officers but quickly was taken into custody without further incident,” Cruz said.
Police recovered marijuana tossed from the car during the chase, Cruz said.
In the second case, Lametrius Turner was arrested at an apartment of an acquaintance near the 2500 block of West Wildwood. The Wichita Police Department said the chase started at around 1:25 a.m. over a traffic violation near Mount Vernon and Market. The driver of the car stopped but then drove off when an officer approached.
Marijuana and a handgun were tossed from the 2006 Ford Five Hundred during the pursuit, police said. Both were recovered. Cruz said the gun was reported stolen in 2019 from a vehicle in the 3700 block of North Rock Road.
In the 2500 block of West Wildwood, the driver left the 2006 Ford Five Hundred and ran to the apartment. He left a 20-year-old woman and her 2-year-old daughter in the car. Neither was harmed.
Turner was arrested on suspicion of flee and elude, criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, aggravated child endangerment, possession of marijuana, resisting arrest, theft, traffic charges and a Kansas Department of Corrections detain order. KDOC records show Turner has a 2019 conviction in Sedgwick County for criminal possession of a weapon by a felon. Turner was released from prison and put on parole on Jan. 21.
This story was originally published February 5, 2020 at 11:31 AM.