Law enforcement officers chase stolen van with no tires
A van had been left running to warm up in a west Wichita driveway when it was stolen by a wanted man. The family lives in the 1200 block of West McCormick. The husband was getting ready to take his pregnant wife to the hospital.
Police quickly found the vehicle and pulled it over, but the thief tried to drive away. The chase began around 2 a.m. Tuesday. All four tires were spiked by police early in the chase, but that didn't stop the driver.
For over 30 minutes officers followed the car on just rims as it tore up the pavement and sparks flew. The driver continued in circles near Harry and Seneca until too much of the car had been ground away to keep going.
Sedgwick County Sheriff Lt. Jason Gill said the front passenger wheel had shattered, grinding the brakes down to just the van's axle.
The man finally gave up and was arrested without a struggle in the 800 block of West Harry. Police said he had several warrants out for his arrest and had violated probation.
During the chase, an ambulance was sent to the home on McCormick. The owner of the van didn't have another vehicle to take his wife to the hospital.
Gill said the woman was taken to Wesley Medical Center. Deputies later took the father to Wesley.
The van - what was left of it - was towed back to the home.
It's not known if the woman had her baby.
"When we told the car thief he had taken the van of a woman who was going into labor, the man said 'Man! Tell them I'm sorry," said Gill.
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