2018-05-29 12:00:01
OTTAWA POLICE DEPARTMENT Public Information Office 715 W. Second Street Ottawa, Kansas 66067 NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 29, 2018 #18-12 7:00 a.m. Police Arrest Suspect Wanted for Crime Spree Ottawa Police have arrested a suspected wanted for a series of crimes spanning several days after the suspect eluded arrest several times. The suspect was arrested after a brief stand-off in the 700 block of W. 2nd Street Sunday afternoon. Over the course of the events law enforcement officers from the Ottawa Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Wellsville Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrol were involved in arrest attempts of the suspect. Justin Donovan, a 33-year-old male from Ottawa was arrested and is currently being held in the Franklin County Adult Detention Center pending formal charges for numerous crimes committed in Ottawa of the past few weeks. Donovan was arrested for multiple stolen autos, Felony Interference with Law Enforcement, Criminal Damage to Property. Other charges are possible as the investigation continues. Here is a brief summary of the events leading up to Donovan’s arrest: • On May 23rd, 2018 a vehicle reported stolen from Lee’s Summit, Missouri was located parked at a residence in the 400 block of W. 2nd Street. Officers conducted surveillance on the vehicle waiting to arrest Donovan after seeing him with the vehicle at the residence earlier. Donovan was not located and the vehicle was recovered, along with other possible stolen items. Officers and Detectives with the Ottawa Police Department began looking for Donovan for this crime but he was not located. • On May 26th, 2018 shortly after midnight Donovan stole a Red, 1997, Chevy, Camaro left unlocked and running from Casey’s General Store, 334 N. Main St. Handguns, and other items, were in the vehicle when stolen. A short time later an officer with the Wellsville Police Department located the vehicle traveling north on I-35 and stopped the vehicle. But, Donovan fled north into Johnson County, Kansas where deputies with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrol assisted Wellsville police. Tire deflation devices were deployed and the vehicle stopped near the Lone Elm exit on I-35. Donovan fled from the vehicle with Troopers in pursuit; law enforcement heard a firearm discharged nearby. Law enforcement from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, Wellsville Police Department and Ottawa Police Department searched for Donovan but he was not located. The stolen vehicle was recovered but the handgun has still not been recovered. No law enforcement agencies involved discharged a firearm during the incident, and no officers were injured. A female passenger was questioned and released. • On May 26th, 2018 at about 5:45 p.m. officers on patrol spotted Donovan at a residence (the same residence where the Lee’s Summit stolen auto was recovered) and tried to stop him. Donovan fled into the residence and hid from officers. Officer set up a permitted and attempted to negotiate with Donovan to exit the residence. Officers evacuated several other families that lived in the multi-unit apartment house. The Ottawa Police Department STAR Team responded to the scene and began a barricaded subject operation. A search warrant was executed at the residence looking for Donovan but he was not located. Tactical officers cleared the scene around 5 a.m. on May 27th. A vehicle believed to be stolen, but not yet reported, was towed from the residence and will be held until the business that owns it open after the holiday. • On May 27th around 6 a.m. and officer heard banging near the same apartment house, saw Donovan breaking in and tried to stop him. Donovan fled into the home again and refused to exit. Officers cleared the scene again. • On May 27th around noon officers located Donovan at a residence in the 700 block of W. 2nd Street, directly across the street from the Ottawa Police Department. Donovan evaded capture from bounty hunters, who were trying to revoke Donovan’s bond from unrelated arrests. The bounty hunters confronted Donovan inside the residence and when Donovan aggressively approached them deployed a Taser, but it had no effect. Donovan retreated further into the home, broke a window on the second floor and jumped onto the roof of a carport attached to the residence. Officers from the Ottawa Police Department and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office had arrived and surrounded the house and began talking to Donovan. STAR Team responded again. Donovan refused to get off the roof and said if any law enforcement officer tried to arrest him he would physically resist. Donovan climbed back into the residence and was arrested by deputies with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office after deploying a Taser. According to Assistant Chief of Police Adam Weingartner, and STAR Team Commander “It was a trying few days for area law enforcement. The delicate balance between public safety and capturing Donovan meant we used extreme caution during all of these operations. Donovan was wanted for property crimes in Ottawa but our officers knew the threat of violence was real after a gun was stolen. Donovan made numerous threats to harm officers during his arrest-and tried to follow through on his threats several times just before his arrest. During the first stand-off on 2nd Street officers believed Donovan was hiding underneath the house, in a crawl space that was too small for tactical officers to enter safely-they could just not physically fit to see inside the space safely we believe Donovan was hiding in.” Weingartner continued “There were several other families that lived in this building; and doing further damage to try and locate Donovan was not an option for a property crime at this point in the investigation. Once the risk for property damage was lower, and there was nowhere for Donovan to escape to officers and deputies moved quickly and swiftly to arrest Donovan and bring this spree to an end.” Donovan was treated and released at the scene after receiving a laceration trying to escape the broken window. No officers, or innocent citizens, were injured. -End- Franklin County-KS Sheriff's Office
