Foot pursuit leads to two arrests and seizure of narcotics

Posted

A K9 handler with the Seward County Homeland Security Investigations Criminal Interdiction Task Force – West initiated a traffic stop for multiple traffic violations on a Chevy Cruze on April 14 at about 11 p.m.

The vehicle was traveling westbound on I-80 near mile marker 388. Once the suspect vehicle came to a stop, both occupants, a male driver and a female passenger, exited the vehicle and fled on foot. The woman returned to the K9 handler on her own and was then identified as Destiny Burnett, 23, Hope Mills, North Carolina.

Once additional personnel with the Seward County Sheriff’s Office and Nebraska State Patrol arrived, a search of the area began to locate and apprehend the man. After about a two-hour search of the area, he was found and apprehended.

The man crawled out of a culvert from underneath I80 and surrendered himself to two Nebraska State Troopers without further incident. Rescue was requested to the scene to evaluate the status of the man as he had been in cold water for an extended period.

The man was identified as Steven Townsend, 33, Hollywood, South Carolina. Townsend was transported to a local hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening medical issues.

A search of the vehicle led to deputies seizing contraband to include hundreds of ecstasy pills.

Burnett was arrested and lodged in the Seward County Detention Center for Possession with the Intent to Deliver Ecstasy, Possession of a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance and Obstructing a Police Officer.

Townsend was later released from the hospital and lodged in the Seward County Detention Center for Possession with the Intent to Deliver Ecstasy, Possession of a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance and Obstructing a Police Officer. Townsend also had four active warrants in three different states.