OTTAWA — The two suspects in this morning’s fast and furious chase through the streets of Ottawa have been identified as Xavier Brown, 32, Kansas City, Mo.; and Cary Paekey, 28, Kansas City. Ottawa police Lt. Adam Weingartner said they’re in the Franklin County jail after they seen standing along 15th Street at the I-35 interchange about three hours after the chase. The chase began in downtown Kansas City, Mo., when officers tried to pull over a red Buick that was driving over the line, said Kansas City police Capt. Rich Lockhart. The car took off and hit I-35 with two Kansas City police cars in pursuit, he said. There were no Kansas Highway Patrol officers available and the officers continued the pursuit, Lockhart said. During the chase, Kansas City dispatch received a 911 call from someone in the car saying that the woman in the car was holding a gun to her own head, he said. The officers saw the woman tossing the gun out the window somewhere south of Wellsville, he said. The car turned onto K-68 and went into Ottawa with the Kansas City officers behind. Ottawa officers both joined the pursuit and positioned their vehicles in strategic locations to block the car, Weingartner said. According to reports, speeds reached 100 miles an hour. Officers lost sight of the car near First and Poplar streets, but it was found unoccupied minutes later in the area of Third and Cherry streets, Weingartner said. When the suspects could not be immediately located, the Kansas City officers left Ottawa. Lockhart said the officers didn’t have arrest or investigation authority and the case was left to Ottawa. After a citizen reported two people along 15th, the two suspects were picked up, Weingartner said. However, police were also told that there was a third occupant in the car and that he fell into the Marais des Cygnes River during the escape and officers had started a search of the river when investigators determined the information to be false, he said. Evidence collected by the Ottawa Police department will be shared with the Kansas City Police Department, he said.
Tuesday, June 8, 4 p.m.
