Wichita man shot motorcyclist who tried to get his tag number. He’s going to prison

A Sedgwick County judge on Wednesday ordered a Wichita man to serve a total of 34 months in prison plus pay $4,947.65 in restitution for shooting a motorcycle rider in the leg in a road rage incident near 47th Street South and Broadway last year.

Kaeden Levi Murphy, 23, pleaded guilty on July 11 to an amended count of aggravated battery with a firearm and one count of criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. In handing down his sentence Wednesday, District Judge Kevin Mark Smith followed recommendations from lawyers who negotiated Murphy’s plea deal.

Murphy’s attorney, Casey Cotton, said in court that Murphy has taken responsibility for the shooting and didn’t want the case to go to trial. Both he and prosecutor Staci Lane asked the judge to follow the plea agreement, which called for 34 months on the battery charge, nine months for the weapons charge and for the counts to run concurrent.

The victim in the case didn’t speak in court Wednesday. Murphy said “I don’t have anything to say” when the judge asked if he had a statement.

The case stems from a June 21, 2023, shooting where Murphy pulled a gun and fired from a truck at a 28-year-old motorcycle rider around 5:30 p.m. in the 4400 block of South Broadway. A probable cause affidavit released in the case says the motorcycle rider was following the truck to get the tag number to report to authorities because Murphy sped by his wife in a nearby gas station parking lot, causing her to slam on her brakes.

The motorcycle rider told police as soon as he caught up to the truck and made eye contact with Murphy, Murphy “started shooting him.” Video surveillance footage shows the motorcycle trying to stop the truck then “cutting in front of it” before the truck drives around, the affidavit says.

Another driver told police she saw Murphy pointing the gun at the motorcycle rider and saw them talking before the shooting.

The motorcycle rider suffered two gunshot wounds to his right calf. One round struck a bone, causing a fracture, the affidavit says.

Police used their Flock Safety license plate reader surveillance system to track down Murphy using his tag number. He was arrested at an apartment complex near Seneca and MacArthur. Murphy was on parole in an earlier aggravated burglary, weapons possession and drug case at the time.

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