By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post
A Salina man was arrested Saturday after he allegedly made threats about harming his estranged wife and then eluded officers during multiple high-speed pursuits in the west-central part of the city.
Officers were sent to the 800 block of Merrill Street at approximately 2:50 p.m. Saturday after someone at a residence there reported that James Johnson, Jr., 51, of Salina, had communicated to people inside the residence that he was armed and was coming after his estranged wife, Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester said this morning.
When officers arrived, they found Johnson sitting in his gray Ford Escape in front of the residence. When they asked him to exit the SUV, he took off southbound at a high rate of speed, Forrester said. The pursuit turned onto W. Republic Avenue and was terminated a short time later due to traffic and the reckless nature of the pursuit. Additionally, the Escape was going as fast as 70 mph, Forrester said.
Johnson was last seen going westbound on W. Crawford Street from S. Broadway Boulevard.
At 3:05 p.m., while officers were still speaking with people at the residence on Merrill Street, Johnson drove by the residence at a high rate of speed, Forrester said. Officers once again attempted to conduct a traffic stop, however, a pursuit ensued and was terminated a short time later when the SUV reached 90 mph on S. Broadway Boulevard, he said. At that point, Johnson was last seen northbound on S. Broadway Boulevard.
At 3:25 p.m., Johnson was seen once again driving past the residence on Merrill Street. Forrester said that a short time later, officers located Johnson at his residence in the 700 block of Commanche Avenue.
Again, a pursuit ensued and Johnson drove north to W. Crawford Street, where the SUV jumped the curb and went onto the property of the former Ambassador Hotel, 1616 W. Crawford Street. Officers made contact with Johnson and took him into custody.
Police obtained a search warrant for Johnson's residence and found a rifle and two handguns, as well as 800 grams of marijuana and five grams of methamphetamine, Forrester said.
Johnson was arrested on the following requested charges, according to Forrester.
●Four counts of criminal threat
●Stalking
●Three counts of fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer
●Two counts of felony interference with a law enforcement officer
●Possession of marijuana
●Possession of methamphetamine
●Possession of drug paraphernalia
●Multiple traffic violations