Barton County

Barton County hasn't seen a lot of moisture lately and is an extreme fire hazard. That's why county commissioners declared a burn ban in the area.  As of June 4th, open campfires and fires are banned. Any questions concerning local burning should be directed to the Fire Chief. The chief may or may not issue an agricultural burning permit.  Violators of the burn ban may be fines up to $2,500.  The ban will be in effect until June 11th, or longer if conditions don't improve.   

Investigators in Barton County say a person already in custody is now also under arrest in connection with a homicide last November. Hunters found the body of Damon Galyardt near Great Bend on November 12 of 2011. Several days later police arrested a man on unrelated charges, but did say he was a person of interest in the case. Monday, the Barton County Sheriff's Office says that person of interest is now under arrest on suspicion of first degree murder. The office says the arrest comes after lab tests, subpoenaed telephone records and interviews.

A pedestrian is killed in an accident Saturday night in Barton County. It happened about two miles south of Hoisington. The Kansas Highway Patrol says that the man was standing in the roadway trying to upright his motorcycle when he was hit by an oncoming pickup truck. The driver of the pickup was not hurt.

Two people are dead after an apparent murder-suicide in Barton County. Authorities were called to a rural home north of Hoisington around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. Officers found a woman and a man dead inside the home. A juvenile was also found unharmed. The victims are identified as Michelle Heggemeier, 39, and Justin Heggemeier, 35. Investigators said Michelle was shot at close range. Justin died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The sheriff's department said a domestic dispute likely led up to the violence.

Extremely dry weather leads Barton County Commissioners to extend a county-wide burn ban. Barton County emergency management officials say, although parts of the county received rainfall over the last week, dry conditions still exist. They say grass, standing wheat and wheat stubble continue to be dry and pose a fire danger. The ban includes open campfires. The burn ban will go through June 11 at noon, but it could be extended if weather conditions do not improve. Officials say questions about local burning should be directed at the fire department for your area, whether it's the county or individual cities.

Authorities in Barton County are looking for an 11-year-old child. Ryan Durland was last seen in the Twin Lakes area in Great Bend, Kansas at around 4 o'clock Sunday afternoon. Authorities describe him as being 4'8" and possibly 90 pounds, with sandy blonde hair, wearing an orange and white shirt, blue jeans and yellow croc shoes.  He is autistic. Search parties are out looking for him now. If you have any information you are asked to call authorities in Barton County.

A police chase ends in a crash in Great Bend Sunday morning. Sunday morning the Hays Police Department sent out an alert that they were looking for 20-year-old Mathew Kloke. Kloke escaped custody and stole a 2006 Green pontiac Grand Prix. About an hour after the alert, Hoisington Police spotted the stolen car coming into Hoisington. They began following the car through town while waiting for backup to arrive. The vehicle headed south out of town. A high speed chase began with speeds reaching more than 100 miles per hour.

A 15-year-old boy from Barton County is in fair condition after being shot in the eye with an arrow.  Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir says the teen and a friend were playing with the arrow on Saturday. He says the teen was looking through a piece of plastic pipe, at the same time his friend shot an arrow from the opposite end.  The arrow went through the pipe and hit the teen in the eye.  The incident happened about eight miles north of Claflin. The teen is being treat for his injure at Wesley Medical Center.  The sheriff says he's expected to recover.

A 38-year-old Ellinwood man is dead after a motorcycle crash in Barton County late Monday. Barton County emergency crews were called to US 56 between Fort Zarah and the US 56/K-156 junction shortly after 9:00 last night. Investigators at the scene determined a 2006 Harley Davidson Sportster, ridden by Daniel Otipoby, was headed east when a deer crossed into his path. Otipoby struck the deer and was thrown from the motorcycle. The Barton County Sheriff says both Otipoby and the bike traveled several hundred feet down the highway after the impact.

Update: The Barton County Sheriff's Department says an inmate worker who walked away from jail last night is back in custody.  Sheriff Brian Belledir says guards were counting inmates last night when they realized Lee W. Dean was not in his cell as of 10:55 Sunday. This morning, the Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook that Dean is now back in custody...adding "You can run, but WE WILL FIND YOU!!!" Sheriff Belledir says Dean was found in the southeast part of Gret Bend and was taken into custody without incident.  A second person was also taken in for questioning and could face charges.

State fire investigators say a fire at a mobile home in central Kansas is suspicious. Fire crews were called to the mobile home in the Barton County town of Pawnee Rock Monday. When they arrived, they found the mobile home fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters from Pawnee Rock and Great Bend were able to get the fire under control. Investigators say there were no utilities hooked up to the home. No one was hurt. The Kansas Fire Marshal's office is assisting with the investigation.

A 15-year-old boy from Barton County is in fair condition after being shot in the eye with an arrow.  Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir says the teen and a friend were playing with the arrow on Saturday. He says the teen was looking through a piece of plastic pipe, at the same time his friend shot an arrow from the opposite end.  The arrow went through the pipe and hit the teen in the eye.  The incident happened about eight miles north of Claflin. The teen is being treat for his injure at Wesley Medical Center.  The sheriff says he's expected to recover.

A police chase ends in a crash in Great Bend Sunday morning. Sunday morning the Hays Police Department sent out an alert that they were looking for 20-year-old Mathew Kloke. Kloke escaped custody and stole a 2006 Green pontiac Grand Prix. About an hour after the alert, Hoisington Police spotted the stolen car coming into Hoisington. They began following the car through town while waiting for backup to arrive. The vehicle headed south out of town. A high speed chase began with speeds reaching more than 100 miles per hour.

Two people are dead after an apparent murder-suicide in Barton County. Authorities were called to a rural home north of Hoisington around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. Officers found a woman and a man dead inside the home. A juvenile was also found unharmed. The victims are identified as Michelle Heggemeier, 39, and Justin Heggemeier, 35. Investigators said Michelle was shot at close range. Justin died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The sheriff's department said a domestic dispute likely led up to the violence.

Vandals with guns are costing Barton County thousands of dollars this year.  More than 150 traffic signs, most of them stop signs, have been shot up. One of the stop signs has 57 bullet holes. The county says it's spent more than $20,000 replacing signs this year alone.  That's money right out of the pockets of taxpayers like James King. "It is quite upsetting," King says.  "That's money coming out of my pocket. " It's normal for the occasional sign to be vandalized, according to Barton County road and bridge director Dale Phillips.  But he says this many in one year is a budget buster for the county.  Even worse, Phillips says destroying signs can cause accidents.

The former head of a program that brought World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. is accused of stealing more than $100,000. LaVeta Miller was arrested Thursday on a warrant charging her with theft by deception. A Barton County records clerk says Miller is jailed on $20,000 bond. The clerk didn't know if Miller had an attorney. Miller worked as program director for Central Prairie Honor Flight. She was fired in July. The Great Bend group raised nearly $1.2 million.

A pedestrian is killed in an accident Saturday night in Barton County. It happened about two miles south of Hoisington. The Kansas Highway Patrol says that the man was standing in the roadway trying to upright his motorcycle when he was hit by an oncoming pickup truck. The driver of the pickup was not hurt.

One man is dead, another in the hospital after a rollover accident in Barton County. Richard Newick died after he ran a stop sign at the intersection of K-4 and Highway 281 Sunday morning. He was hit by another car, struck a telephone pole and then rolled into a ditch. The driver of the other vehicle was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Wichita.