A man charged with shooting at Kansas troopers after robbing a bank took the stand in his own trial.
Jason Gleason is accused of leading police on a chase that ended in gunfire in October 2012. Gleason is accused of firing his Emerson 9mm pistol at KHP Trooper Ryan Wolting. Wolting was attempting to stop Gleason’s vehicle which was wanted in connection with a bank robbery in Rice County.
The vehicle neglected to stop and led police on a chase into Saline County before coming to a stop in a wooded area on Assaria Road.
That’s when a shoot-out between Trooper Wolting and Gleason ensued.
“I had no intention of shooting at Trooper Wolting or his vehicle,” said Gleason. “They started firing on me, I didn’t want the children to get hurt or anybody to get hurt.”
During Thursday’s hearing, the prosecution called several agents from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to the stand to re-enact where the shots were fired and who was doing the shooting.
Agents say that several of the shots fired, including two that struck the Ford Explorer, which Gleason, his ex-girlfriend Crystal Bell, and her three children evaded police in, were consistent with having come from Gleason as he fled the vehicle.
“Tried to get out of the area and didn’t know if the shots were coming towards me or not, so I just took off running down the creek line,” said Gleason.
He says he fired his gun merely to help him escape law enforcement not to injure or harm anybody.
Following the closing arguments, the jury was read a set of instructions before being sent to deliberate.
Gleason could potentially be found guilty on five charges, namely attempted first degree murder, which can carry a prison sentence from 10 years to life.
The case went to the jury late Thursday.
Story by: Chris Arnold / KSN News
