<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588002784752.png" alt="Tyler Witten" />
 <figcaption>Tyler Witten</figcaption>
 </figure>
A Barton County man has been jailed for violating a quarantine order
issued by the Barton County Health Department. According to Barton
County Sheriff Brian Bellendir, 32-year-old Tyler Witten was arrested
Friday night in Great Bend. The Sheriff says the arrest came after
several attempts to get Witten to comply with the order.
“He was served last week and was uncooperative with the Health
Department,” Bellendir says. “Thursday we had information that he
was in violation of the quarantine order causing disturbances around
town. On Friday I received a call from the Great Bend Police
Department that he was causing a disturbance at another residence in
the city. At that time the decision was made to place him (Witten) in
jail.”
Bellendir informed Barton County Commissioners of the arrest on
Monday. He says it was the last thing that he wanted to do since
Witten's presence in the jail could compromise the health of other
inmates in the facility.
“We were faced with an impossible decision,” Bellendir said. Do
I allow this person to continually run around the community
potentially exposing the community to Covid-19, or do I potentially
expose my inmates in the jail. I chose to err on the side of the
public.”
A quarantine area had already been set up at the jail in anticipation
of a possible cases of coronavirus coming into the jail or a person
who was considered probable. The Sheriff says the only person having
contact with Witten is Health Director Karen Winkelman.
Bellendir says before the decision to jail Witten was made, he had
phone conversations with the Health Director, County Attorney and the
District Court.
As of Monday, the Sheriff's Office had assisted in delivering 99
isolation and quarantine orders in the county and for the most part
he says individuals have been cooperating. As for Witten, the
Sheriff indicated that he had been uncooperative throughout the
entire process.

Great Bend man who ignores quarantine order ends up in jail