LAWRENCE, Kan. (WIBW) – Steven Drake, 49, was arrested Monday afternoon on several charges related to a chase in North Lawrence. These include aggravated assault on a police officer for attempting to use a sheriff’s patrol vehicle and preventing the officer from ending a chase. His arrest also included two counts of criminal threatening of a police officer for making specific threats against officers after his arrest.
At approximately 2:40 p.m., an officer observed Drake driving near Second and Locust Streets and attempted to stop the vehicle because the driver was to be questioned in connection with a domestic incident in Lawrence. The officer was also aware that Drake did not have a valid driver’s license.
Drake accelerated from the stop near the entrance to the southbound lanes of the Kansas River Bridge, then slammed on his brakes and collided with the deputy’s police vehicle. Drake then accelerated, jumped the median and drove east on the levee, eventually turning onto Elm Street in North Lawrence.
The deputy saw Drake driving through a private yard in the 900 block of Elm Street, damaging a fire hydrant. Deputies arrested him after his vehicle came to rest in a nearby field. Paramedics evaluated Drake and transported him to LMH Health before declaring him impaired and transporting him to the Douglas County Jail.
No other injuries were reported, including to the officer in the damaged patrol car.
For more information about the suspect, see the DGSO Booking Recap report on DGSO.org
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