Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 377
SPOKANE VALLEY — A local man remains in the Spokane County Jail after being arrested in connection with a Feb. 29 stabbing of another man. David R. Yeager, 31, of Spokane Valley, is being held on $125,000 bail on charges of possession of a controlled substance, obstructing a public servant and first-degree assault. Yeager was arrested Feb. 29 after deputies responded to the stabbing in the 12400 block of East Valleyway at about 2:30 a.m., records show. He had fled the scene, but was located after noon and arrested the same d...
SPOKANE VALLEY — Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a local man following a standoff that lasted more than two hours March 1. Shawn D. Shuster, 44, was arrested and booked into the Spokane County Jail on charges of harassment-threats to kill, fourth-degree assault-domestic violence and intimidating/threatening a public servant. Deputies were called to a home in the 4600 block of North Larch Road at about 5:30 a.m. March 1 after dispatchers answering a 911 call heard a man and woman yelling at each other, rec...
OLYMPIA - The Legislature has passed a bill designed to curtail driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. House Bill 1493 - contains language introduced by Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley - passed the house 69-27 on March 6. It passed the Senate unanimously Feb. 29. The bill awaits Gov. Jay Inslee's signature to become law. "The passage of this bill is a major step toward making our roads and highways safer," said Padden, Republican leader on the Senate Law...
SPOKANE VALLEY – The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputy who roughed up a Colfax man on Aug. 14, 2023, may be charged in the case. On Wednesday, Feb. 21, the Spokane Police Department determined there is probable cause to charge Sgt. Clay V. Hilton with second-degree assault. “The case has been forwarded to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office for review,” Spokane County Sheriff John F. Nowels said in a press release following the conclusion of the independent police investigation. Hilton is accused of beating Kevin Hin...
OLYMPIA — Relenting to pressure from residents statewide, three initiatives will be get hearings before the Legislature. The Legislature will debate I-2113 on reasonable police pursuit, I-2081 on codifying parental rights in their child’s education and I-2111 on prohibiting a state income tax, Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, D-Spokane, and Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, announced late last week. The two leaders have decided they won’t take up three other initiatives that qualified for the ballot. Those ini...
SPOKANE VALLEY — A local man is facing charges after allegedly attempting to enter a vacant, boarded up house. Jason A. Swan, 35, was arrested Feb. 19, booked into the Spokane County Jail and then freed on his own recognizance that same day after appearing before Spokane County Superior Court Judge R. Clary. He is facing possible charges of third-degree theft, second-degree malicious mischief and two counts of residential burglary. The charges stem from an 8:15 a.m. Feb 18 in which deputies responded to a possible burglary a...
SPOKANE VALLEY — Detectives are asking for the public’s help with the investigation of a single-vehicle crash, of a possible kidnapping and attempted rape of a teenage girl. At about 6:30 a.m. Feb. 11, law enforcement officers responded to a report of a crash and an overturned vehicle on North Wood Road, north of West Coulee Hite Road. An injured 17-year-old girl who didn’t speak English was found at the scene, records show. She was transported to an area hospital, where she told staff, through an interpreter, a man had a...
SPOKANE VALLEY — Spokane County authorities have finally released the name of the victim of a hit-and-run incident on Jan. 24. Maegen Engh, 46, of Spokane Valley, died of her injuries in an area hospital on Feb. 13, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office. She had been in the hospital since being struck by a Jeep. The Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to release the exact cause of her death. The driver of the Jeep, John R. Townshed, 64, of Spokane Valley, was arrested for hit-and-run injury and remai...
SPOKANE VALLEY – Sullivan Road and Sprague Avenue improvements will move ahead, thanks in part to two grants totaling more than $5.3 million. The two National Highway Performance Program grants include nearly $4 million for the South Sullivan Road Preservation Project and $1.4 million for the Sprague Avenue Preservation Project. The South Sullivan Road Preservation Project will receive $3.96 million, 89% of the total estimated project cost of $4.46 million. Construction is set to start in 2025 between East Eighth Avenue a...
TACOMA - Three gold, four silver and one bronze. That's how many Top 3 medals wrestlers from Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and the surrounding areas brought home Saturday from the state Mat Classic XXXV wrestling tournament in the Tacoma Dome. The local individual champions are Libby Roberts of University, the 105-pound champion in the 3A/4A girls division; Czar Quintanilla of University, the 113-pound champion in the 3A division; and Blaine Beard of Central Valley, the...
OLYMPIA – The House Housing Committee has moved forward two bills introduced by 4th District Sen. Mike Padden, aiming to bolster home ownership and streamline property leasing in Washington. The committee approved Senate Bill 5792, which seeks to facilitate the construction of smaller condominium buildings, excluding those with 12 or fewer units and no more than three stories high from the definition of “multiunit residential building,” provided one story is designated for a...
SPOKANE VALLEY – The preservation of the Snake River dams has been solidified as a key item on the legislative agenda for the city council. The move comes amidst ongoing debate and litigation surrounding the dams’ future and their environmental impact. Chelsea Martin, Government Relations and Communications Coordinator at Modern Electric Water Co., emphasized the importance of maintaining affordable electricity costs for the region. “Our goal is to keep electricity costs low,...
SPOKANE VALLEY — A man arrested for in a sexual assault case here remains in the Spokane County Jail. Gregory Charles Boris, 42, of Kennewick, is being held on $500,000 bail after being extradited from the Tri-Cities area back to Spokane County on Feb. 13. He is charged with second-degree rape, second-degree assault-strangulation with sexual motivation and felony harassment-threats to kill. The charges stem from an alleged Feb. 5 rape at a hotel here. Records show law enforcement officers were dispatched to a store near t...
SPOKANE VALLEY – Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to reports of a potential shooting in the 4900 block of East Upriver Drive on February 11. An anonymous caller relayed that an altercation had erupted in the parking lot, culminating in someone discharging a firearm toward a vehicle before fleeing the scene. Through thorough investigation and witness testimonies, authorities identified the suspect as 35-year-old Billy R. Olson. Initial findings suggest that Ols...
SPOKANE VALLEY – Sexual Assault Unit (SAU) Detectives took steps in pursuing justice as they secured a warrant for the arrest of Gregory C. Boris, a 42-year-old Level-2 Registered Sex Offender implicated in a violent sexual assault on February 5. Boris, residing in Kennewick, was apprehended in the Tri-Cities based on the warrant and subsequently transferred to Spokane County Jail. The incident unfolded on February 5 around 11:20 pm when Spokane Valley Deputies responded to r...
SPOKANE VALLEY – The pedestrian who was the victim of a hit-and-run on January 24 has passed away in the hospital due to the severe injuries sustained, says Spokane Valley Deputies. Authorities are seeking to elevate the charges against the suspect, 64-year-old John R. Townshend, from hit-and-run causing injury to hit-and-run causing death. Townshend remains in custody at the Spokane County Jail under the initial charge of causing injury, with a bond set at $25,000. A...
A proposal to fine counties and cities when untreated sewage is released into Puget Sound is part of an effort to save dwindling salmon runs. The bill, proposed by Rep. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, imposes a 1-cent-per-gallon fee on municipal discharges of untreated sewage into Puget Sound. The bill, HB 2290, is part of a comprehensive five-bill bipartisan initiative to preserve salmon populations and support the fishing community. The Department of Ecology did not oppose the bill...
SPOKANE VALLEY – In a recent city council session, the spotlight was on a potential initiative to beef up the police force by as many as 31 officers over the next four years. Erik Lamb, deputy city manager, Chief Dave Ellis, and Morgan Koudelka, the administrative analyst, led the discussion, revisiting the proposals laid out by the Matrix consulting group back in November. Lamb emphasized the gravity of the decision, asserting, “This is one of the most crucial matters reg...
SPOKANE VALLEY – At the February 6 Spokane Valley City Council Meeting, discussions revolved around Ordinance 24-001, proposing adjustments to the planning commission meeting schedule. The amendment aims to scale back the monthly meetings from twelve to nine months per year, garnering unanimous approval. Tony Beatty, the senior deputy city attorney, shed light on the rationale behind the amendment. He cited the lack of substantial material for review in January and February d...
Nearly four years after Manuel Ellis, a 33-year-old Black man from Tacoma, died during arrest while being hogtied, the practice that killed him is one step closer to being illegal in Washington. Hogtying refers to the tactic where handcuffed wrists are tied to a suspect's ankles. This practice can contort bodies into a position where they are at risk for suffocation. A medical examiner on Ellis' case ruled his cause of death as lack of oxygen. In 2021, defense attorneys argued...
To curb traffic fatalities, lawmakers are proposing reducing the legal limit for driving while intoxicated. SB 5002 amends the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for driving a motor vehicle from .08% to .05%. Typically, consuming less than one standard drink per hour maintains most individuals’ BAC below .05%. Former state trooper and primary sponsor Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, who previously served as a sergeant with a DUI emphasis patrol, called on the Legislature to enact tougher laws. “We have just tolerated dru...
SPOKANE VALLEY – In a session of the Spokane Valley City Council on February 6, 2024, Chief Dave Ellis presented an extensive plan outlining the recruitment and retention initiatives for the Spokane Valley Deputies. Against the backdrop of community concerns and evolving law enforcement dynamics, the council delved into a multifaceted strategy aimed at bolstering the city’s police force. Erik Lamb, the deputy city manager, initiated the discussion by highlighting the col...
SPOKANE VALLEY – During the recent city council session on January 30, Spokane Valley delved into discussions regarding the contract with the Spokane County Prosecutor’s office. Larry Haskell, the county prosecutor, took the floor, shedding light on crucial details about the office’s current state and potential contractual matters. Haskell outlined the jurisdiction of the District Court, emphasizing its role in handling traffic infractions, misdemeanors, gross misde...
SPOKANE VALLEY – The city witnessed a charged city council meeting on January 30, marked by the nomination of four new members to the planning commission. Despite concerns raised by Councilman Al Merkel about the nomination process, the motion passed with a 5-2 vote, igniting intense debate among council members and prompting public comments. Deputy Mayor Tim Hattenburg announced the nominations of John Robertson and Justin Weatherman for terms extending from January 1, 2...
MEDICAL LAKE — The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office will offer free boater education classes beginning April 13. Under state law, boaters born after Jan. 1, 1955, must have a Boater Education Card when piloting a watercraft with more than 15 hp. Classes will be offered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sheriff’s Office Training Center, 13033 W. State Highway 902. Classes are slated for April 13, May 18, June 8 and 29, July 13, Aug. 17 and Sept. 7. To pre-register, log onto https://www.eventbrite.com/e/washington...
