Kansas Klips
FHSU celebrates first Officer Candidate School graduate at December commencement
HAYS—Fort Hays State University marked a historic milestone on Friday, December 12th, when Jackson Piper became the university's first graduate of its Officer Candidate School (OCS) program to cross the commencement stage at Gross Memorial Coliseum. Piper, a Kansas City native, joined the Kansas Army National Guard during his sophomore year and enrolled in FHSU's OCS program shortly after its launch in 2022. Encouraged by then-military science instructor CPT Hannah Byun, he pursued the program as a pathway to becoming an officer while completing his bachelor's degree at FHSU. (Hays Post)
Kansas elementary school teacher among two accused of child abuse
MCPHERSON COUNTY— Law enforcement in McPherson is investigating alleged child abuse and has made two arrests, including a school teacher. On Thursday morning, December 11th, police in McPherson arrested 36-year-old Abby Bradstreet, an elementary school teacher in USD 418 McPherson, on requested charges of attempted aggravated endangering a child; reckless situation involving a child under age 18 and abuse of a child; knowingly torture/cruelly beat; strike; kick a child between the age of 6 and 18, according to online jail records. Just after 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Bradstreet met the requirement of a $12,500.00 bond and was released, according to online jail records. On Thursday afternoon, police also arrested 26-year-old Brady Burr, an employee of the McPherson Fire Department, on requested charges of aggravated endangering a child; reckless situation to a child under the age of 18 and for abuse of a child; knowingly torture/cruelly beat; strike; kick a child between the age of 6 and 18, according toonline jail records. Burr was released 90 minutes after his arrest after he met the requirement of a $ 12,500.00 bond, according to an online jail record. Police released no additional details. The McPherson County attorney will be determining formal charges against them. (Hays Post)
Man killed, another seriously injured in Ellis County crash
ELLIS COUNTY—One man is dead, and another is seriously injured following a single-vehicle crash near Victoria on Sunday, December 14th. The Kansas Highway Patrol says at around 4:00 a.m., a 2008 Ford F250 was eastbound on Old U.S. 40 in the 2400block when it left the roadway to the right and re-entered the road at Spring Hill. The truck crossed over to the north ditch, where it rolled several times before coming to a rest on its side.The driver of the truck, a 20-year-old Winona, Kansas man, was seriously injured. The man's passenger, 20-year-old Hunter Still of Sharon Springs, died from his injuries, KHP reports. The KHP crash log indicates neither the driver nor the passenger was properly restrained at the time of the crash (KAKE.COM)
Semi struck and killed a NW Kansas man helping load a trailer on I-70
ELLIS COUNTY—One person died in an accident on Sunday, December 14th in Ellis County. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported three pedestrians were loading a disabled vehicle onto a trailer pulled by a 1996 Ford F250 on the north shoulder of Interstate 70 near the 183 Bypass. The pickup was legally parked and towing a 2014 Eagle trailer, which was hauling a 2009 Chevy Tahoe. One pedestrian was attempting to strap down the vehicle on the side of the trailer closest to the roadway. A westbound 2026 Freight liner semi driven byAlejandro Fuentes-Castro, 53, Wilmington, Delaware, failed to maintain his lane and struck the pedestrian who was located on the roadway side of the vehicle. Julio Caesar Villarreal, 37, WaKeeney, was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Brocks-Keithley Funeral Home. (Hays Post)
Kansas convenience store employee accused of stealing lottery tickets
SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement is investigating a suspect for theft of lottery tickets from where he worked. The Casey's in the 500 block of N. Ohio in Salina reported that an employee stole over 100 lottery tickets from the store between November 30th and December 14th, according to Police Captain Jim Feldman. The lottery tickets were valued at $2,700.00. Lottery tickets in Kansas are tracked using barcodes and a centralized computer system that logs each ticket sale and activation. Officers arrested the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Robert Davis. Davis was booked into the Saline County Jail on a requested charge of Felony Theft. He also has a warrant out of Russell County (Hays Post)
