Thief escapes after Cass County deputies chase stolen vehicle into Leawood

Authorities were searching Monday for a man who stole a pickup truck in Missouri and led deputies on a chase into Kansas.

The incident began just before 2 a.m. when Cass County deputies followed a stolen pickup in the area of 171st Street and Holmes Road. The vehicle, which was pulling an enclosed box trailer, sped west when deputies tried to pull it over. Deputies used stop sticks to deflate the vehicle’s tires, police said.

However, the pursuit continued into southern Johnson County. The vehicle headed north on Mission Road near 179th Street and struck an unoccupied Leawood police car when it reached 145th Street.

The trailer’s axle came off at 127th Street and Mission Road. The pickup continued north, dragging the trailer on the pavement.

At about 2 a.m., the driver pulled into the parking lot of the Church of Nativity Catholic Parish, 3800 W. 119th St., where the trailer flipped onto its side as the driver tried to maneuver around the parking lot, police said.

The man jumped out of the vehicle and ran northeast. Authorities launched a search but could not locate him.

Cass County authorities later determined the pickup had been stolen from an auto dealership in Grandview.

Persons with information about the incident are asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office at 816-380-5200 or the Leawood Police Department at 913-642-5555.

This story was originally published September 22, 2014 at 7:48 AM with the headline "Thief escapes after Cass County deputies chase stolen vehicle into Leawood."