Updated 9:09 p.m. Monday

ELLINWOOD — A man who claimed to have a “dead body” in the trunk of his car led Barton County deputies on a chase last Saturday morning. No body was found and he was later taken to Larned State Hospital for an evaluation.
Sheriff Brian Bellendir released details of the pursuit on Monday morning. Around 7:18 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7, Barton County Sheriff’s officers received a report of a man stopping passing motorists stating he had a dead body in his trunk. Officers responded to a location on U.S. 56 near Ellinwood and located the gray Chevrolet Cobalt as described by witnesses.
When deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, the suspect fled. The officers pursued the Cobalt westbound on U.S. 56, with speeds in the chase ranging from 30 mph to 105 mph. The suspect continued driving westbound, going through ditches and into oncoming traffic. BCSO deputies were able to deploy stop sticks to deflate the tires just east of Great Bend and the Cobalt was disabled.
Bellendir said a  36-year-old white male driver was taken into custody without incident. He declined to name the suspect, citing his apparent mental issues.
“Deputies immediately conducted a search of the vehicle,” Bellendir said. “No dead body was found.” The driver was booked into the Barton County Jail on various charges including felony flee and elude and reckless driving. The book-in log provided to the Great Bend Tribune did not include this arrest.
The Great Bend Police call log adds that the suspect, which is identified as a 38-year-old male, failed to yield for BCSO at Fort Zarah but continued westbound. He turned north into a field outside Kiowa Road and then came back on U.S. 56. After the vehicle wrecked in the south ditch, he surrendered.