ELLINWOOD — A Great Bend man who led an Ellinwood police officer on a high speed chase in rural Ellinwood is in custody at the Barton County Jail Friday morning. The Ellinwood Police Department issued a news release Friday morning, stating that a traffic stop by Ellinwood Police in the 500 block of South Main Street touched off the incident with the driver, Shawn Aron Cook, 30 of Great Bend. 

According to the release, when the officer made contact with the driver and learned there was a Barton District Warrant for his arrest, the driver refused to exit the vehicle and fled. At South East 20 Road, he turned west bound with law enforcement in pursuit, reaching speeds in excess of 120 MPH. 

“In the 700 block of SE 20 Road the driver struck a deer and lost control of the vehicle. The driver was able to regain control of the vehicle then intentionally drove directly towards the pursuing Officer, nearly striking the Officer head on. The Officer was able to avoid the collision and continued pursuing the suspect. The driver then entered a field in the 700 block of SE 20 Road and traveled North bound for a short distance before his vehicle was disabled from the deer collision.”

The Barton County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrol were assisting agencies. 

Cook was taken into custody without further incident and was transported to the Barton County Jail. He was booked in on the Barton district warrant for failure to appear, as well as additional charges of aggravated assault on law enforcement officer, flee and elude, and multiple other traffic violations. The case is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ellinwood Police Department at 620-564-3001.