Truck, Gun Stolen From Tallgrass Prairie Gift Shop In Osage County

Osage County Sheriff Eddie Virden says two people who led law enforcement officers on a more than 30-mile pursuit Thursday night may have stolen a truck from the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve Friday morning.

Virden says deputies are searching for the two right now.

Ranch hands at the Tall Grass Prairie tell News On 6 they saw two people standing near Prairie headquarters’ gift shop before 9 a.m. Friday, January 26. They say the two ran and jumped in a pickup truck and sped off before they could stop them.

Sheriff Virden confirms there is a gun in the stolen pickup truck and he believes it’s the same two people involved in the Thursday night pursuit. The truck is described as a 2013 white, flatbed one-ton Ford pickup with Bison license plate 1TNC07. It has the Nature Conservancy logo on the door panels.

It was last seen Friday morning in the area of Prentice Road and Prospect in Ponca City, according to the Kay County Sheriff's Office. They said the driver may be Charles Jasper Ratliff.

If you see the truck, do not approach but call 911 or Kay County Sheriff's Office at 580-362-3250.

Deputies say this all started Thursday night when Hominy police tried to stop a car for a traffic violation. Deputies say the car initially stopped, but then the driver took off, leading to a pursuit.

Deputies say the chase went more than 30 miles into the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve near Pawhuska.

Deputies say the driver ended up ditching the car in a pasture on the preserve. The sheriff says the driver and a passenger ran off. Deputies, police and a K9 officer chased the two people on foot, but they got away.

The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve headquarters is about five miles from where deputies say the driver left the car.

Hominy Police, Pawhuska Police and Sage County Sheriff’s Office deputies were involved in Thursday night’s chase.