Fugitive nabbed in rural Bates County this morning

Last night at approximately 9:30pm the Bates County Sheriff's Office received a call to assist the Butler Police Department in a vehicle pursuit.  The Butler Police Officer was pursuing a vehicle that was reported stolen out of Stockton Kansas on June 5, 2011.  The vehicle was taken after an inmate had escaped from Norton Correctional Facility in Stockton Kansas.  The inmate identified as Christopher Anderson formerly of Butler.  Area Law Enforcement had been watching for the vehicle since it was stolen. 

A Butler Police Officer had seen the vehicle traveling eastbound on Nursery Street when he attempted to stop the vehicle.  The vehicle failed to yield and continued to travel east on Rec. Lake Road.  The vehicle then spun out of control and left the roadway.  The driver was able to re-control the vehicle and it continued on Rec. Lake Road to YY highway.  The vehicle was then abandoned in the driveway of a residence just off YY hwy.  The driver Identified as Christopher J Anderson then fled from the scene into the field. 

Christopher Anderson

Assistance was called out and every deputy that worked for the Sheriff's Office responded to the area to begin the search and notifying the immediate residents in the area.  Assistance was also requested from the Kansas Highway Patrol's Helicopter unit and the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Helicopter unit.  Both air units searched the area of the perimeter for approximately 2 hours utilizing FLIR.  At approximately 0600hrs the perimeter team observed Anderson exit the heavy tree area and begin walking toward the location of where he abandoned the stolen vehicle.  Once out in the open deputies began to converge on him in an attempt to take him into custody.  Anderson began to run back toward the wooded area.  Deputies converged on him and he began to resist the arrest.  Anderson then produced a tree limb in a threatening manner towards the Deputies in an attempt to prevent the arrest.  Deputies then deployed the taser and Anderson dropped the stick and was taken into custody. 

Anderson was immediately transported by Deputies to the Bates County Memorial Hospital for injuries sustained in the incident.  Anderson was released from the hospital and transported to a holding cell at the Bates County Sheriff’s Office.  Anderson will be treated as a high risk inmate until extradited back to Kansas Department of Corrections.

The Bates County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the residents in the area for their cooperation in our search efforts.  We would also like to thank the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Butler Police Department, the Missouri Department of Conservation Agent, Adrian Police Department in assisting with the search efforts.

After multiple calls the Bates County Sheriff’s Office wants to clarify that this was not an escape from the Bates County Jail.