Garden City teen arrested after aggravated assault and police pursuit

Garden City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)– Garden City Police and local first responders responded
to a multi-vehicle accident on Monday resulting from an individual fleeing law enforcement
and crashing.

Around 1 p.m. on Monday, Officers were dispatched to the 3300 block of Eagle Drive for
an aggravated assault that just occurred. Officers learned that 18-year-old Israel Rios arrived at a
residence and got into a verbal argument with several individuals. Rios shot a firearm into the
air after threatening the reporting party and fled the scene in his vehicle with two juveniles.
Officers later located the vehicle at the intersection of Walker and Conkling Streets and
attempted a traffic stop, but Rios refused to stop, and a vehicle pursuit was initiated. Rios
continued to evade Officers by utilizing side streets throughout the southwest side of town.
The pursuit then traveled northeast onto Kansas Avenue before Officers terminated the pursuit
near the Main Street intersection due to increasing traffic. Rios continued driving eastbound at
a high rate of speed before he lost control and struck five vehicles at the intersection of Center
Street and Kansas Avenue.

Rios and the two juveniles were ejected from the vehicle and transported to the hospital. Rios
and one passenger were later flown out of town due to the extent of their injuries. Five other
victims involved in the accident were also transported to St. Catherine Hospital for treatment
of injuries.

The Kansas Highway Patrol, Garden City Fire Department, Finney County EMS, and Garden
City Street Department assisted with the incident. The intersection of Center Street and Kansas
Avenue was closed for eight hours as law enforcement completed the accident investigation.

An affidavit was filed for Rios requesting numerous charges from the aggravated assault and
police pursuit to include Multiple counts of Aggravated Assault, Multiple counts of Aggravated Endangerment of a Child, Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm, Criminal Threat, and Felony Flee and Elude.

The investigation is ongoing.

*The person(s) involved has not yet been convicted of a crime and are presumed innocent. The
presumption of innocence shall continue until such time that the person(s) accused may be
found guilty by a court of law.*