A Topeka man will spend 30 months in prison after a chase that ended in Coffey County this past fall.
Coffey County Attorney Wade Bowie says 23-year-old Raymond Meyer was sentenced after a high-speed chase Sept. 20 that started in Wilson County, moved through Woodson County and ended with Meyer’s arrest in Coffey County. Bowie says Meyer was driving a stolen car from Shawnee County and committed numerous traffic infractions, including reaching speeds of up to 130 mph, disregarding several stop signs and made multiple passes in no-passing zones.
During court proceedings for the chase, it was determined Meyer was guilty of two felony offenses: flee and elude and possessing methamphetamine. However, Meyer’s prior criminal history demonstrated at least four prior flee and elude convictions dating to 2022.
Following discussions with Coffey County Undersheriff and Kansas House 76th District Representative Eric Smith, the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police, Kansas Peace Officers Association and Kansas Sheriffs Association have sponsored House Bill 2666 to increase the penalties for flee and elude if defendants are convicted and have prior convictions for the same crime. This would raise the crime from a severity level 9 felony to a severity level 5 offense for a second conviction and a level 3 felony for all subsequent flee and elude convictions.
