On the evening of Sunday, December 10, at 8:56 pm, a Deputy in the 200 block of S Broadway initiated a traffic stop for a gray 2011 GMC Acadia due to a observed defective headlight. Despite the Deputy's attempt to catch up, the driver reportedly accelerated and embarked on a pursuit, navigating the following path:
- South on Broadway to Republic
- Turned on Osage, reaching speeds of 70 mph
- Continued to Cloud, running a red light at Broadway
- Turned North on Pershing, then proceeded through Claflin, Rush, Jewell, 9th St, Highland, Republic, and Westbound to Centennial
- Turned South on Magnolia, then headed East to Belmont, driving Northbound in the wrong lane and crossing the median, nearly colliding with the Deputy's vehicle
- Continued East on Montclair, then South on Quincy, Belmont, Magnolia, and Centennial (where another Deputy deployed stop sticks at Schilling)
- Eastbound on Schilling, then Ohio
The pursuit eventually came to an end on flat tires at Bennington State Bank. Deputies conducted a felony stop and apprehended 35-year-old Mathew Leach. Leach faces charges of fleeing and eluding, possession of methamphetamine, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, driving while suspended, no proof of insurance, possession of drug paraphernalia, a warrant for failure to appear out of Harvey County on forgery charges, and a warrant from the Topeka Department of Corrections.
