Bates County Sheriff's Department Press Release Pursuit Last Night

On 8/29/13 at approximately 8:30pm the Bates County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the rural area north of E Hwy east of I49 in reference to a pickup truck in a bean field.  Deputies arrived and made contact with the calling party.  The calling party took the Deputy to the truck in the back of the field.  As the Deputy approached the truck it took off through the field and back onto the road.  The reporting party also identified a Cadillac that was in the area that had picked up several subjects from the field.  Deputies were able to find the Cadillac and identified the driver of that vehicle.  

The Deputies were able to identify the tag on the truck.   The truck was reported stolen out of Johnson County Kansas.  The Deputies detained the Cadillac driver and she helped identify the driver of the truck.  She stated that she was told by the driver to follow her because he wanted to hide the truck before going to her house. 

Additional Deputies were called in and flooded the area to find the truck.  At approximately 10:00 pm dispatch received a call from a female in the area of Z Highway and 18 Highway in reference to another truck being stolen from a residence.  The calling party advised the second truck was being driven through the bean fields across from the house.  Deputies responded to that area and found the truck abandoned in the bean field.  Deputies remained in the area looking for the subject or subjects that stole that truck. 

At approximately 11:00 pm the deputies observed the first stolen truck traveling east on 18 Highway.  Deputies turned around and attempted to stop the vehicle at Z Highway and 18 Highway.  The truck continued east on 18 Highway and began to turn his headlights off in an attempt to evade the Deputies.  The vehicle traveled approximately ½ mile east of Z Highway at approximately 95 miles per hour.  As the vehicle topped a hill it began to swerve and left the roadway.  The vehicle struck a culvert and overturned several times ejecting the driver into a field.  The driver, identified as Kerry K Kennedy, was transported to Research Medical Center by helicopter.  Kerry had multiple warrants out of Henry County for theft and burglary.  Charges are being submitted to the Bates County Prosecutor on this pursuit. 

The Bates County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Adrian Fire Department, and the Bates County EMS.