photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

Kendrick Guerrero

An Overland Park man was granted probation Friday in Douglas County District Court for leading police on a high-speed car chase in downtown Lawrence while drunk and armed.

Kendrick Guerrero, 21, was convicted in May, after pleading no contest to the charges, of one felony count of fleeing from law enforcement, one misdemeanor count of DUI and one misdemeanor count of possession of a firearm while under the influence.

The charges relate to an incident on April 24, 2022, when Guerrero led police on a car chase at speeds reaching nearly 70 mph through downtown Lawrence across the Kansas River bridge and back again. Police deployed spike strips to stop Guerrero but they did not deter him. The chase finally ended when Guerrero crashed into a pole in the parking lot of the Community Building, 115 W. 11th St., as the Journal-World reported.

In Guerrero’s car, police found a loaded Glock handgun with a 31-round magazine. In the door of the vehicle police found four more loaded magazines.

On Friday, Judge Stacey Donovan sentenced Guerrero to six months in prison for the felony fleeing charge, six months in jail for the DUI and 12 months in jail for possessing a firearm while under the influence, all to run concurrently. She then suspended the sentences to 12 months of probation, in accordance with the Kansas sentencing guidelines.

Donovan ordered Guerrero to pay fines and court costs totaling over $1,600 and to serve 48 hours in jail for the DUI. She said that Guerrero should feel lucky to be able to walk out of the courthouse on probation after such a serious incident. She advised Guerrero to work to make changes in his life so he does not end up back in court.