By MIKE CORN

mcorn@dailynews.net

LA CROSSE -- Authorities have arrested a 23-year-old Rush County man on allegations he rammed a sheriff's deputy patrol car several times.

Rush County Sheriff Ward Corsair this morning reported that Jordan D. Janke was arrested Tuesday about 2 miles north of McCracken. He had been the object of a manhunt since Friday when the deputy's cruiser was rammed north of Liebenthal.

Corsair declined to name the deputy but said he only suffered minor injuries and has since returned to work. But, he cautioned, the situation could have been much worse.

Formal charges against Janke are expected to be filed sometime next week, and he is expected to appear in Rush County District Court on a bond hearing. Janke is being held in lieu of $75,000 bond.

Janke's arrest was made in connection with allegations that Janke used his vehicle to ram the deputy's patrol car several times. Janke then fled the scene on foot.

Rush County officials, with the aid of the Kansas Highway Patrol, Ellis County Sheriff's office, KBI and La Crosse Police Department, joined in the search.

Although few details are being released, Corsair said it's unlikely Janke made it all the way from Liebenthal to the McCracken area on foot.

"Actually, I think somewhere a vehicle became involved," he said.

But it's not known exactly where the vehicle came from.

"Ellis County had a vehicle stolen that we didn't know about," he said.

The incident occurred about 3 miles south of the Ellis County line, when the deputy stopped to fuel his cruiser.

Corsair declined to say why Janke might have rammed the vehicle.