GREAT BEND, KS : Great Bend man who fled injury accident found hiding in shed on Sunday, December 18th 2016

A man who fled the scene of an injury accident Sunday night, leaving a passenger trapped in his vehicle, was arrested about an hour later for drunken driving after officers found him hiding in a shed.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to the 300 block of East Barton County Road at about 10:30 p.m. to investigate an accident between a 1997 Dodge pickup – driven by Kevin L. Schartz of Ellinwood – and a deer.

As the officers were arriving at the scene, a 2015 Dodge Dart struck the rear of the Schartz vehicle, according to a release from Sheriff Brian Bellendir. The driver of that vehicle ran from the scene south into a stubble field, leaving his passenger, Aspen Linenberger, 25, of Great Bend, trapped in the vehicle.

The temperature at the time of the accident was 4 degrees.

Sheriff’s officers immediately began searching the area for the driver. At about 11:40 p.m., deputies found the suspect, Jason Cavender, 40, of Great Bend, hiding in a shed at 12 SE 35 Ave., which was about a mile east and south of the accident scene.

Officers returned Cavender to the scene, where EMS treated both him and Linenberger for minor injuries; then Cavender was booked into the Barton County Jail on suspicion of driving under the influence, failure to report an injury accident, driving while suspended and criminal trespass, according to the sheriff.

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Great Bend man who fled injury accident found hiding in shed