Two people suspected in a pair of pawn shop burglaries and robberies in Mississippi, and in a triple homicide robbery of a pawn shop in Jackson, Mississippi have been apprehended in Geary County.

That information has been provided by Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf, who reported the arrest of Jamison L. Townsend, 31, Blue Springs, Missouri and Joshua M. Garcia, 35, Biloxi, Mississippi.

Wolf stated about midnight deputies conducted a traffic stop on a Dodge Charger, for no registration displayed, at I-70 mile post 311 in Geary County. That location is about 13 miles east of Junction City. Just as contact was made with the driver, the vehicle sped away westbound on the interstate. A deputy gave chase, the vehicle exited I-70 at mile marker 306 at McDowell Creek Road and took Roeser Road which was a dead end.

The vehicle wrecked and was inoperable, and the driver took off on foot. A female passenger remained with the vehicle. She was later identified as Jamison L. Townsend, and the driver was Joshua M. Garcia. A short time later authorities learned Townsend and Garcia were suspects in the alleged burglaries and robberies in Mississippi.

Deputies set up a perimeter and searched the area, as well as farmsteads and outbuildings. At about 7 a.m. Wednesday while searching the area around McDowell Creek community center Garcia was found hiding in the back seat of a vehicle and was taken into custody.

No injuries have been reported as a result of the incident, but there was some property damage at the scene of the crash.

The suspects are being held at the Geary County Detention Center pending further investigation.

 

City officials continue to wrestle with the Kansas Department of Transportation over the used of barbed wire fencing in side the city limits.

Current projects by KDOT have used the barbed wire fencing that is prohibited in City limits, and there are plans to continue using the banned fencing.

City manager Allen Dinkel said that the City must follow the rules that it makes. “Basically, the city ordinances does not allow barbed wire in that application, and I think the ordinance should be followed…when the City passes an ordinance, we need to follow the ordinance and of course the commission can change an ordinance, but until we do -the ordinance is in place.”

The City could decide to review the ordinance and change it, but Dinkel said he would advise against that. “I think ultimately, you don’t want barbed wire throughout town…part of the problem I have along Highway 77 and the City commission does too, is that the barbed wire is near an apartment complex and near parks and it’s just something that we need to stay away from – there’s other methods of fencing.”

If City commissioners decided to review the ordinance and possibly change it the process would not be easy.

Metropolitan Planning Commission Director David Yearout said – no. “Stay with the prohibiton.”

“There are going to be times when exceptions are going to be necessary; we build it in for security purposes, like around the football field, or water towers…we get calls from people saying ‘I want to fence my yard’ and they want to know can they put barbed wire – no, not in town,” said Yearout.

City commissioners asked city staff to continue conversation with KDOT regarding the barbed wire and halting any future barbed wire fencing. No decisive action was taken on the existing barbed wire that has been put in place by KDOT; it will continue to be reviewed in future City Commission meetings.

Beginning January 1 at noon, hours of operation at the Fort Riley Visitor Control Center will change to 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends and federal holidays.

Anyone who does not have a Department of Defense ID card, Fort Riley access badge or visitor pass and requires access to the installation must plan ahead and stop at the Visitor Control Center during the new hours of operation.

You can visit https://www.riley.army.mil/Units/Garrison-Command/Emergency-Services / Access-Information/for up-to-date information about access requirements.

Sponsored individuals without a DoD ID card, Fort Riley access badge or visitor pass and requiring access during non-duty hours will need to report to the Henry Gate for access and:

–may only enter Fort Riley if escorted by a DoD ID cardholder

–must be signed in and vetted

–must be issued a temporary visitor pass