Wyandotte County detective suspected of hit and run on leave for investigation
A Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office detective is on leave after being named as a suspect in a December hit and run on Interstate 70, Sheriff Donald Ash said Thursday.
Ash addressed that incident at a news conference Thursday. He referenced the alleged hit and run and an incident that led to criminal charges against a sergeant for allegedly beating up an inmate as reasons for an updated policy in his department.
“I have zero tolerance for the behavior shown in these incidents,” Ash said.
Among the new measures is an updated employee evaluation process that will require employees to review department policy more regularly, Ash said.
The detective, whom Ash did not name during the news conference, was placed on administrative leave on December 16, three days after being named as a suspect, according to a timeline sent out by the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office.
A month later, the timeline said, Ash requested an administrative investigation by the KCKPD internal affairs unit.
That investigation is ongoing, Ash said. A criminal investigation into the incident, however, was completed by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and turned over to the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office.
As of Thursday, Ash said, criminal charges had not been filed or denied in the case.
The Kansas Highway Patrol did not respond to The Star’s request for information about the crash in time for publication.
