Dodge City Man Dies Following Pursuit and Arrest in Dickinson County

A Dodge City man died while in law enforcement custody following a vehicle pursuit that began in Salina and ended in Dickinson County.

According to authorities, deputies had received information that 41-year-old Tawan Tatro of Dodge City was in Salina and had outstanding warrants from Dodge City as well as a local warrant. Deputies attempted a traffic stop on Tatro's burgundy 1997 Buick LeSabre on North Ohio Street, but he fled from law enforcement.

The pursuit continued north on Ohio Street to Interstate 70 before traveling east to the Niles Road exit. Tatro then drove south on Niles Road to Old U.S. Highway 40 and continued into Solomon. Law enforcement attempted to deploy spike strips near Solomon, but Tatro avoided them and continued through city streets before re-entering eastbound I-70.

Once the pursuit returned to the interstate, the Kansas Highway Patrol became involved and conducted a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver. The maneuver successfully brought the vehicle to a stop near milepost 271 in Dickinson County.

Following the stop, Tatro was taken into custody and placed in the back of a patrol vehicle. During the investigation, authorities located a large quantity of marijuana, methamphetamine paraphernalia, and other suspected controlled substances inside the vehicle.

While in custody, officers observed Tatro experiencing what appeared to be a medical emergency. He was removed from the patrol vehicle and CPR was administered at the scene. Despite lifesaving efforts, Tatro was pronounced dead.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation was called in to investigate the in-custody death. The investigation remains ongoing.