Dangerous pursuit in stolen pickup trucks leads to multiple charges for Guatemala man

KEARNEY, Mo. (KCTV) – A Guatemala man is now facing multiple charges after a dangerous high-speed chase in Clay County led to a crash near Worlds of Fun on Black Friday.

The Kearney, Missouri Police Department announced Saturday, Nov. 30, that the suspect in a dangerous high-speed pursuit through Clay County has been identified as Cristian Guevara-Urbina, of Guatemala.

Law enforcement officials noted that Guevara-Urbina was charged with tampering with a motor vehicle and the Valentine Act, which is described as aggravated fleeing a traffic stop. In that case, he was charged with a Class D felony for the high speed and dangerous manner in which he drove the vehicle.

Investigators noted that Guevara-Urbina created a huge risk to other drivers on the road who could have suffered serious injury or even death. An inquiry was also sent to Homeland Security Investigations about his citizenship status and the possibility of additional fees.

“We are thankful that no one was injured when the suspect refused to stop for our officer and that he was taken into custody at the end of the incident,” said a spokesperson for the Kearney Police Department. “Without going into detail, we’ll just say that this wasn’t Guevara-Urbina’s ‘first rodeo.’

The charges are related to a Nov. 29 pursuit involving both Kearney and Claycomo Police Departments after a stolen vehicle was spotted in the metro area. The pursuit ended near I-435 on Randolph Rd., near Worlds of Fun, when Guevara-Urbina crashed the stolen pickup truck.

After the collision, investigators noted that Guevara-Urbina escaped from the truck and ran into a wooded area. He was found a short time later by the K-9 department and taken into custody.

Law enforcement officials noted that Guevara-Urbina was treated for multiple dog bites at the scene before being booked into the Clay County Detention Center.

As of Saturday, Guevara-Urbina remains behind bars on a $40,000 bond. No other information has been released.