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By TYLER GASKILL
Reporter

Two Butler County teens are in the hospital following two pursuits early Sunday morning in northern Cowley County, according to reports from the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Cowley County Sheriff's Department.

A Kansas Highway Patrol crash log identifies the driver of a 2002 Chevrolet pickup as Michael E. Potts, 18, Douglass, and the passenger as Gavin J. Markley, 18, Augusta.

Potts was transported by EagleMed air ambulance and Markley was transported by Winfield Area Emergency Medical Service, both to Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis Campus, Wichita.

At the time of the accident, both were in critical condition, but Potts has since been upgraded to good condition, and Markley is now in fair condition, a hospital spokesperson said today.

The pickup Potts was driving crashed into a tree at approximately 1:44 a.m. Sunday after being chased by Cowley County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Skov and Kansas Highway Patrol trooper Bryan Wade. Skov had lost the truck near the intersection of 12th and 151st roads, but when he didn't see taillights on 151st, he continued east on 12th, Cowley County Sheriff Bob Odell said.

"When (Skov) went down 12th, he saw the reflection of his headlights on the truck's taillights and found that it had struck a tree," Odell said.

The teens had eluded a Butler County Sheriff's deputy shortly before Wade spotted the truck again near Rock and attempted to pull it over. Potts fled Wade when he attempted to stop him, and Skov joined in the chase.

According to the crash log, the pair was traveling eastbound on 12th when they struck a low-water bridge about a half-mile from 151st and lost control of the truck.

Markley was wearing his seatbelt, but Potts was not buckled in, according to the crash log. Potts was trapped in the truck for several minutes before firefighters freed him using the Jaws of Life.

The initial traffic stop was for a speeding infraction, and it is not known why the pair fled from authorities, Odell said.

Assisting with the accident were firefighters from the Atlanta and Winfield fire departments.

(Reporter Foss Farrar contributed to this report.)