One case involving charges of aggravated battery as part of a crash on the Kansas Turnpike north of Emporia has been dropped, but the other case is moving forward.
Judge Doug Jones has dismissed one of the two cases against Phillip Scott Lieurance, dropping the case filed a week ago involving single counts of aggravated assault, flee and elude and reckless driving. However, the 13-count case filed Friday remains on the docket and is set for a preliminary hearing Nov. 6. In that case, Lieurance has been charged with four counts of aggravated battery while driving under the influence, two of reckless driving and single counts of aggravated battery, aggravated assault, low-level marijuana distribution, DUI, flee and elude, criminal damage and “violation of duty of driver upon damaging an unattended vehicle or other property.”
The initial case followed a crash on the Kansas Turnpike just outside the Emporia service exit on Sept. 10 — after what the Kansas Highway Patrol says were several intentional contacts between Lieurance’s SUV and at least one other vehicle — and involved two alleged victims. The case filed Friday involves seven victims, including two from the originally-filed case. Six people, Lieurance included, were all treated at Newman Regional Health and released.
