KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A naked man who led police on a chase through Kansas City while driving an ATV now faces charges for the incident.
27-year-old Johnathon Menth was charged Monday with sexual misconduct, property damage, tampering with a vehicle and burglary in connection with the incident that happened Sunday afternoon.
Jonathan Menth
Kansas City Police received a call at 2:18 p.m. Sunday about a "suspicious party" without clothes driving an allegedly stolen yellow ATV through yards.
The naked man - later identified as Menth - refused to stop and fled from police on the ATV through a field, according to court documents,
After driving through multiple fields, wooded areas, residential areas, city streets and sidewalks, police said Menth made his way to Interstate 435 where he began driving at a high rate of speed southbound in the northbound lanes of traffic. Officers followed in the southbound lanes in order to warn approaching traffic.
Menth then exited off I-435 onto 210 Highway and drove west to Searcy Creek Parkway. He then drove back east on train tracks south of 210 Highway.
Police said he then approached the area of the old Sam's Town Casino where he encountered officers waiting for him. When Menth saw the officers, he struck two railway junction boxes and was thrown from the ATV.
He immediately got up and tried to flee, but was taken into custody. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
A witness captured some of the ATV chase on video.
According to court documents, Menth was the subject of a police search earlier in that day when Missouri State Highway Patrol officer saw a PT Cruiser with a flat tire speeding and tried to pull the vehicle over. The driver, later identified as Menth, allegedly took off, and the trooper started a pursuit.
After about 30 seconds, the chase was called off because of erratic driving. The vehicle was later found unoccupied.
Court records say Menth told Kansas City Police that he had been high at the time. He said he ran after abandoning the PT Cruiser and eventually found the ATV with the key in it.
Menth told police he stole the ATV and was trying to get back to Excelsior Springs. He told police he didn't stop during the second pursuit because he was "flipping" and couldn't stop, according to court documents.
The 27-year-old's bond has been set at $50,000 with the stipulation that, if posted, he does not go out in public "unless fully dressed."
Owner Forrest Bryant noticed his ATV was missing from his garage when he got home from a birthday party Sunday afternoon. So he called 911 to report that it had been stolen.
The ATV has been returned to its owner - a little worse for wear.
"The gal took my name and asked me to describe the vehicle," Bryant recalled in a phone interview with WDAF. "When I said it was yellow, she started to laugh and I said, 'what's going on?' She said, 'uh, we know where your ATV is. We are chasing the guy now so I expect you will be getting it back but the police will be in contact with you. Somebody will come out.'"
When officers arrived they told Bryant that Menth was riding the ATV - naked.
Officers said he led police on a crazy chase on the interstate, through pastures and yards like the yards on N. Norton Street, where police say Bryant crashed through several backyard fences.
"Everyone is kind of talking about it right now. It is the joke of the neighborhood," said one resident. "Kind of weird to come home and hear that someone rode an ATV butt naked through your neighbor's backyard."
"Oh, I thought that was just crazy," Bryant said. "The first thing I asked the policeman is, 'was he high on something?' And he says, 'oh yeah. He is definitely high on something.'"
The ATV was returned covered in mud, with a bent wheel, two almost flat tires and a dead battery - not to mention a seat that needs cleaning.
"Well, I think it needs a good sanitizing,' Bryant said. "I took it to the car wash last night before it got dark and I ran about 8 dollars worth of quarters to it trying to get the mud off of it."
