Juan Ramon Ruiz, 29, the man accused of shooting at two Emporia Police officers earlier this week will have a preliminary hearing Jan. 31.
Ruiz, whose bond was set at $500,000, had his first court appearance Thursday afternoon. He is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, criminal use of a weapon and obstruction and driving while suspended.
Emporia Deputy Chief Mike Williams said earlier this week that the incident started after officers initially responded to a report of prohibited noise about 2:30 p.m. Monday in the area of Clark Street and Goura Place. Emporia Police Officer Scott Jones was responding to the call and met a car matching the description of the vehicle involved in the noise call.
Jones gave chase, and the suspect, identified by police as Juan Ramon Ruiz, drove his car into a church parking lot at 721 Corinth St. According to Williams, Ruiz stopped his car, pointed a weapon out the driver side window and opened fire on Jones. Ruiz then fled the area in his car and went back across the Sixth Street viaduct, turned south onto Peyton Street, where Emporia Police Officer Mark Lake joined Jones in the chase.
Lake followed Ruiz south of the railroad tracks, driving east along an access road, where Ruiz stopped his car again and fired shots at Lake. Ruiz then fled north on Carter Street. He drove under the East Sixth Avenue bridge and into a field, where he drove his vehicle over an embankment.
The driver fled on foot and ran into Sertoma Park near the corner of Ninth Avenue and Whittier Street, where he subsequently was arrested.
Officers found two guns they believe Ruiz threw down about 100 feet from the car, Williams said. Ruiz was unarmed when he was arrested.