The Barton County Sheriff’s Office announced Sunday evening that the search for fugitive Michael Aaron Jayne has been called off for the Barton County area. Federal authorities confirmed he is out of our area, according to the BCSO statement.
Jayne, who is wanted for probation violations, fled to central Kansas following a high-speed chase in Rooks County last Thursday night. A pickup stolen from Rooks County was recovered in Barton County in the Cheyenne Bottoms area around 8 a.m. Friday morning.
At approximately 9 p.m. Friday, the BCSO received a report of a stolen pickup from the Barton Hills area, approximately 4 miles from where the original stolen vehicle was recovered. Authorities are still looking for the second stolen vehicle, a 1988 Dodge Dakota pickup, white and primer in color.
The pickup contained a quarter tank of gas, and keys were left inside. It is not known at this time when the vehicle was stolen as it was last seen by the owner around noon on Thursday.
Jayne is a white male, 30 years of age, 5’ 10”, 180 pounds, brown eyes, blonde hair. He has been convicted of assaulting and threatening law enforcement officers in his native Redding, Calif., and in Oregon.
“At this time no further details can be released as an on going investigation is still in progress,” the BCSO statement said. “Barton County officials want to thank all the citizens of Barton County for their assistance in looking for this individual.”