Updated story – 6 a.m. March 17
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A judge has ordered the release of a Kansas Senate leader from jail in Topeka after finding that there was not enough evidence to support his arrest hours earlier on suspicion of driving under the influence and attempting to flee from a law enforcement officer.
Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop was booked into the Shawnee County jail just before 4 a.m. Tuesday following his arrest on Interstate 70 by the Capitol Police.
But Shawnee County District Judge Penny Moylan ruled only hours later that a Capitol Police officer’s report did not include “pertinent information” about the arrest and ordered Suellentrop’s release.
Original story – 10:20 a.m. March 16
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Local jail records show that a Kansas Senate leader has been arrested in Topeka on suspicion of driving under the influence and attempting to flee from a law enforcement officer.
Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop was booked into the Shawnee County jail just before 4 a.m. Tuesday following his arrest by the Capitol Police. Online booking records show that the Wichita Republican also was arrested on suspicion of speeding and crossing a divided highway. Suellentrop remained in the jail Tuesday morning.
Senate President Ty Masterson’s office confirmed the arrest and said it was gathering information about the incident.
It was not immediately clear whether Suellentrop had an attorney.
