High speed chase: Second suspect arrested after hour-long search of wooded area

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The search for a second suspect in a police chase that locked down a Johnson County high school has ended.

The second suspect was apprehended near a fence just before 11 a.m.

Earlier, officials at St. James Academy, 24505 Prairie Star Parkway, in Lenexa, Kan., said they locked down students as a precaution while authorities searched for the suspect. St. James is a private Catholic school with 736 students in grades 9 through 12, a school spokesman said.

The chase started in eastern Jackson County, Mo., and ended just after 10 a.m. when the suspect’s sport utility vehicle was disabled with stop sticks in western Johnson County, Kan.

One suspect was arrested where the crash ended, at K-10 just west of Cedar Creek. Search dogs were brought to the scene to assist in the search, which lasted for about an hour.

A statement from the Johnson County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department said deputies began chasing the suspects in Lone Jack, Mo., when they were spotted “prowling” around some houses.

Officers arrived and began a pursuit when they realized the SUV was stolen, the statement said.

The chase, which had reached speeds off 100 miles per hour, moved from the area of 350 Highway and Noland to Interstate 435 near Gregory Boulevard, went into Kansas on westbound I-435 and ended on K-10 in western Johnson County.

Officers from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Lenexa Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol assisted in stopping the vehicle.

41 Action News is gathering more information and will post it here as soon as it becomes available.