A preliminary hearing is coming next month for the Oklahoma man accused of trying to steal fuel from a state vehicle before leading a chase in and around Emporia early this week.
Jerry Ray Brown, 43, faces single counts of felony flee and elude, felony obstruction of law enforcement, felony criminal damage and misdemeanor theft. His preliminary hearing is at 2:30 pm Nov. 24, after two separate court proceedings in Oklahoma for alleged financial crimes. Brown is set for federal trial connected to two bank robberies last year, with trial starting Nov. 15 in Tulsa. He has a preliminary hearing set for Nov. 10 in Tulsa for allegedly embezzling over $70,000 from a 2019 house remodeling contract.
Locally, Brown allegedly tried to take fuel from a Kansas Department of Transportation tractor near the Emporia Golf Course early Monday morning. After local authorities tried to stop Brown’s truck in the 700 block of South Weaver, Brown allegedly led a vehicle chase out of Emporia before returning to town and crashing into a light pole at South Commercial and Norton. He then led a short foot chase before he was captured, according to Lyon County deputies.
