Formal charges have been filed against an Emporia woman accused of leading law enforcement on a pursuit Friday morning that ended near Hartford.
The Lyon County Attorney’s Office on Tuesday filed charges against 23-year-old Samantha Scheve including flee or attempt to elude, with five or more moving violations with an alternative count of flee or attempt to elude by engaging in reckless driving. She’s also charged with possession of marijuana failure to provide vehicle liability insurance. Scheve will appear at a preliminary hearing on Aug. 22.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by KVOE News, an Emporia Police officer located a black Nissan Friday morning in the parking lot of the Avaste Hotel at 2700 West 18th Ave. and noticed a male that appeared to be possibly 23-year-old Ethan Cole Peterson who had an active warrant through the Kansas Department of Corrections. While attempting to turn around the officer noticed a white Ford Explorer pulled up directly behind the Nissan. The officer said the Explorer completed a u-turn in an apparent attempt to slow down the officer in catching up with the Nissan.
The officer then pursued the Nissan down Meadowlark Street and attempted to place Peterson in handcuffs once he pulled into a driveway, but then fled on foot. The officer attempted to chase him down, pushing Peterson up against a fence at one point and ripping his shirt. Peterson allegedly kicked the officer, ran southbound toward Wheeler Street and eventually got away. It was later discovered that Peterson had expired registration on the Nissan, no insurance and a suspended driver’s license.
Somewhere in the 1700 block of Wheeler Street, it is believed Peterson got into the Ford Explorer and that’s when the chase ensued south through Emporia and to areas west and south of town. At one point officers lost visual of the vehicle due to a train crossing and called off the pursuit due to unsafe conditions.
Lyon County Deputies later picked up the pursuit on County Road 160 and eventually stopped the pursuit outside Hartford arresting Scheve. However, Peterson was not located in the vehicle and remains at large. Scheve advised while being arrested that she fled after seeing the officer “trying to stop her boyfriend.”
Anyone with information regarding Peterson’s whereabouts should contact Emporia Police or the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office.
Related: EPD searching for man who jumped into, later left SUV during Friday’s chase
