By Lucky Kidd
SALINA, Kan. — More details have been released involving the arrest of a teacher at Lakeview Middle School in Salina on Monday.
The Salina Police Department said their officers had gone to the school to assist Newton Police Detectives who had a search warrant to seize a cell phone in connection with an investigation they are involved with.
After seizing the phone and as Newton detectives were speaking with Ryan Andrew Brungardt, he forcibly grabbed the phone from detectives and began breaking it, in the process of which he ruptured a lithium battery causing smoke and a small fire in an office at the school which set off the fire alarms.
Brungardt resisted officers, causing minor injuries to two Newton detectives and one from Salina and was tased after which he was taken into custody. He’s facing possible Saline County charges including aggravated arson, aggravated robbery, felony interference, and three counts of battery of a law enforcement officer.
Brungardt, at last word, remained in custody in Saline County. At this point it’s not known what the Newton case might involve.
