photo by: Kansas Department of Corrections

Steven Carl Drake II

A Lawrence woman’s ex-boyfriend allegedly made threats against her and her new boyfriend, damaged their property and tried to kill the new boyfriend by shooting his car, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Journal-World this week.

The affidavit is in support of the arrest of 47-year-old Steven Carl Drake II, of Lawrence, who is charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder in an incident on Sept. 28 in the 3500 block of West 24th Street. In the affidavit, the woman, Amanda Dillingham, and her boyfriend, Travis Kopp, describe the events of that night in an interview with police investigators.

Allegations in affidavits have not been proved in court, and defendants in criminal cases should be presumed not guilty unless and until they are convicted.

According to the affidavit, Dillingham told police immediately after the incident that she and Drake had broken up about a month earlier, and she started dating Kopp soon after that. She said that upset Drake, who she said “doesn’t want her to be with anyone besides him,” and she alleged that Drake threatened her and Kopp several times and said that she would “disappear.” Kopp told police that over the few weeks he’d been dating Dillingham, Drake had threatened him multiple times and had damaged his car.

On Sept. 28, Kopp said, Drake came to Dillingham’s home and threatened him and Dillingham again. Kopp told police that Drake said he intended to do something that night.

When Dillingham left for work at about 11 that night, Kopp said he decided to follow behind her vehicle for her protection. They were driving to Dillingham’s workplace just before 11 p.m., when Kopp said he noticed a red light near the front of a parked Jeep. When he looked to see what the light was, he said, he saw Drake rise up and fire a handgun at him at least five times — he could see Drake’s face because of the muzzle flash from the gun.

Kopp said he immediately accelerated away from the scene. While he was driving, he called 911 and then called Dillingham to check on her. He told police that he thought Drake shot at him with intent to kill him.

Dillingham also described the incident to police — she said she noticed a man on a bicycle who was hiding himself behind a Jeep, and that after she passed by him she heard multiple gunshots behind her. When she looked in the rearview mirror, she said she could see the man on the bicycle firing at Kopp’s car. She said she stopped her car, intending to get out and check on Kopp, but that Kopp quickly drove away, so she followed him and called 911.

The affidavit said investigators found “three fresh bullet holes” on the passenger side of Kopp’s car. They also searched the scene and found eight spent 9 mm rounds near the scene and bullet fragments in another vehicle nearby.

Police previously told the Journal-World that they tried to stop a suspect’s vehicle later that night at the corner of Fifth and Elm streets, but the vehicle fled the scene; officers pursued the vehicle but terminated the pursuit near U.S. Highway 40.

Sheriff’s deputies then arrested Drake on Oct. 3, when he appeared in court for another case. Drake is facing multiple felony flee and elude charges in connection with incidents in February and June.

Drake has been convicted of several felonies in Douglas County — flee and elude, endangering a child and theft. In Jefferson County, he has felony convictions for forgery, obstruction and aggravated interference of parental custody, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records.

Drake is currently being held at the Douglas County Jail on a $500,000 cash or surety bond. He is next scheduled in court for a preliminary hearing on the attempted murder charge on Nov. 22, according to court records.

Drake is not to be confused with his son, Steven Austin Drake III, who was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in February and was sentenced to more than eight years in prison after shooting Bryce Holladay, 26, on Sept. 19, 2017. Drake III is currently being held at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records.