Sheriff’s office looking for offender involved in several crashes across Wichita
.png "The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office provided this bodycam footage photo of the incident at a McDonald’s drive-thru, where Torrez rammed a stolen vehicle into a SCSO patrol vehicle that was trying to stop him from escaping on Sunday.")
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help in finding a 37-year-old man who they say eluded authorities several times, stole vehicles and caused crashes on Sunday.
The sheriff’s office is looking Thomas Torrez, who is a registered drug and violent offender. He currently has two felony warrants for his arrest: one for failing to report and the other for a probation violation, sheriff’s office spokesperson Branden Stitt said Monday.
“Torrez is considered dangerous and should not be approached. If you see him or know where he is, call 911 immediately,” Stitt added.
Here’s what the Sheriff’s office said happened this weekend.
At 1:08 a.m. on Sunday, Wichita police officers were recovering a stolen vehicle in the 4800 block of East 21st Street. Torrez, who was in the vehicle, fled the scene in the car.
Later, at 7:45 p.m., a SCSO deputy using a Flock license plate reader spotted the stolen vehicle in the drive-thru of a McDonald’s at 47th South and Broadway. Torrez was behind the wheel and a woman was in the passenger seat, according to Stitt.
The deputy drove to block the vehicle in the drive-thru, but Torrez rammed the patrol car, reversed into the building, drove over a curb and fled onto 47th Street. The deputy suffered minor injuries and his patrol vehicle was disabled.
The deputy sent out a call to other units to be on the lookout for Torrez. A separate crash resulted from this call.
“While responding with lights and sirens, a second deputy collided with a civilian vehicle at the intersection of 47th Street and Hydraulic. The civilian vehicle was carrying five people—a 37-year-old man, a 29-year-old woman, and three children ages 6, 8, and 10,” a SCSO news release said. “All suffered minor injuries and were treated at a local hospital. No officers were actively pursuing the stolen vehicle at the time of the crash. This deputy sustained minor injuries that did not require medical attention.”
Shortly after leaving McDonald’s, the woman in the car with Torrez was able to escape. She told officers that she tried multiple times to exit the vehicle, even using mace on Torrez.
The Sheriff’s Office say Torrez later abandoned the vehicle near 44th and Pattie and then stole another vehicle from a mobile home park in the 1000 block of East MacArthur.
The stolen car hit another vehicle near Harry and McLean and then drove off. The crash victim followed the car to the area of Water and Zimmerly, where SCSO says Torrez fled on foot.
Anyone who may know about his whereabouts is encouraged to call 911, SCSO investigators at 316-660-5300 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.
This story was originally published May 5, 2025 at 3:41 PM.