A wandering horse named “Missy” found itself trapped inside a swimming pool this morning after it was set loose from yesterday’s strong winds that knocked over its fencing, according to a Spokane Valley Fire Department news release.

The homeowners woke up to find their neighbor’s horse inside their backyard pool in the 17600 block of east Montgomery Avenue, according to the news release. They believe Missy got into their backyard last night and stepped right into the pool.

Firefighters built a series of steps so the horse could walk out of the shallow end, said assistant fire marshal Bill Clifford, who suspects the 15-year-old mare avoided drowning or hypothermia because her hooves tore through the winterized cover draining the water.

The horse’s owners stood by to keep Missy calm while firefighters worked to free her. Using the constructed steps, she stepped out of the pool and reportedly only suffered minor injuries.

The owners led their horse back to her stable for food, water and of course, some rest.

Police attempted to pull over a reckless driver near Park and Trent late Tuesday night, but lost it after the driver ignored a stop light at the Havana Street and Mission Avenue intersection, according to a Spokane County Sheriff’s Office news release.

A car with a similar description was found reportedly on fire in a homeowner’s driveway near 200 N. Bessie, said the news release. Deputies confirmed it was the same car and fire crews responded to put out the fully engulfed car.

The fire was declared not arson, according to Spokane Valley Fire investigators, but it may have started somewhere in the engine compartment, they told police.

Police don’t know at this time who the driver was or if the vehicle was stolen. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.

A reportedly intoxicated man assaulted a Spokane Valley Fire paramedic on Monday evening while crews treated a woman for a seizure.

While the Station 1 paramedic in full uniform and his partner treated the patient, 51-year-old William J. Nachtwey became hostile toward the paramedic and grabbed him by the shirt collar demanding they leave the trailer in the 9500 block of east 4th Avenue.

Spokane County Sheriff’s Office say the paramedic pushed Nachtwey over a coffee table. When he got up, he confronted them with a boxing stance.

The paramedic and his partner left the trailer while Spokane County sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene. According to a news release, before Nachtwey was arrested for 3rd degree assault, he tripped over a garbage can outside the trailer.

The firefighter was not injured during the confrontation. The woman was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center for further treatment.

Nachtwey was not injured when he fell over the coffee table or garbage can.

A Spokane Valley firefighter says he'll continue using his government email account to send religious-oriented messages to fellow firefighters despite being suspended for two days and ordered to stop.

Fire Capt. Jon Sprague contends that he has a constitutional right to use taxpayer-provided resources to invite co-workers to a Christian fellowship group he founded. The Spokane Valley Fire Department's board of commissioners said that could be viewed as insubordination.

Spokesman-Review reporter Nina Culver explores the continuing conflict in today's edition of the Valley Voice.

A medical marijuana patient contacted when a fire broke out at his Greenacres home told police he had been prescribed pot because of arthritis in his hand caused by “too much homework,” authorities say.

 The 19-year-old man and his 22-year-old roommate had 27 marijuana plants at his father's home in the 2500 block of South Timberlane Drive, which they are legally able to have under the state's medical marijuana law.

The plants were not seized after the fire last Friday, and neither man was arrested, but Spokane Valley police Sgt. Dave Reagan sent out a news release today that said Detective Travis Hansen asked the men what their special ailments were because “they were so young and appeared to be fit and in good health.”

In addition to the 19-year-old's reported homework-induced arthritis, the 22-year-old said he had severe pain in one of his feet. Reagan said suspicions were aroused when one of the tenants told a fire inspector had had “smoked a bowl” and left to get something to eat. 

But the fire does not appear to be caused by smoked marijuana, rather the 19-year-old may have discarded a cigarette in bark outside the home, said Bill Clifford, spokesman for the Spokane Valley Fire Department.

“He smokes a lot, both cigarettes and marijuana,” Clifford said. “He reminded me of Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”

Damage is estimated at $300,000, Clifford said. The home is insured.

The man's 53-year-old father suffered burns to right arm, neck and face while escaping the blaze, which began while he was downstairs watching TV. A smoke alarm alerted him to the blaze.

A neighbor also was treated for smoke inhalation he suffered while stopping the fire from spreading to his home.

Arson caused a fire that damaged a home in Spokane Valley early Sunday, officials said today.

The blaze at 4418 E. 15th Ave., caused more than $100,000 in damage to the home and took more than 25 firefighters to quickly contain.

The family was away camping for the weekend, according to the Spokane Valley Police Department.

Crews were called to the home about 3 a.m. and saw smoke and flames coming from the front of the building. They believe the fire burned and smoldered “for some time” before it was reported, according to a news release by Assistant Fire Marshal Bill Clifford, department spokesman.

Neighbors reported hearing noises and seeing a dark-colored vehicle with hits headlights off speeding away from the home, which is owned by Mandi J. Nordhagen, according to property records.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233 or the Fire Department at (509) 928-1700.
  

The Spokane Valley Fire Department was the top department in a firefighter stair climbing competition in Seattle last weekend.

The Spokane Fire Department placed 8th out of 118 departments. A team of 47 Spokane firefighters participated in the annual Scott Firefighter Stairclimb, which raises money for blood cancer research through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Spokane firefighters raised more than $23,000, nearly twice what they raised last year. Results for this year are being calculated. Donations can be made here. Last year's competition raised more than $780,000.

About 1,300 firefighters participated, climbing 69 flights of stairs and 1,311 steps at the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle.

Several local firelighters placed in the top 30, including Paul Kimball and Mark Knokey of Spokane Valley, Steven Harms of Spokane County Fire District #9 and Jason Keen and Eric Ross of Spokane City

Complete results can be found here.

A longtime felon and litigation seeker faces 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges related to two arson fires in Spokane Valley.

Anthony W. Sotin, 42, was indicted by a grand jury just 13 days ago. He pleaded guilty this morning in U.S. District Court in Spokane to use of a fire to commit a federal felony and malicious use of property to damage property used in interstate commerce.

Sotin will remain in custody pending sentencing, which is scheduled for May 27. The first charge mandates 10 years in prison; the second by at least five years and no more than 20. 

The plea deal calls for prosecutors to recommend Sotin be sentenced to 120 months in prison and three years probation. It also drops one count of wire fraud, which carried a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.

Sotin was accused of starting a fire in a building on Nora Avenue Feb. 9 and setting a car on fire Jan. 12, then filing a false insurance claim.

Sotin is well known by law enforcement and has filed more than 15 lawsuits against various government entities, including 12 in 1996 alone.

He currently has a lawsuit filed against the city of Spokane, alleging his rights were violated because he wasn't allowed to leave messages for a public defender representing him in a Municipal Court case.

Past coverage:

Feb. 19: Arrest made in building, vehicle fires

Aug. 8, 1997: Latest antics add to Sotin's long rap sheet

Spokane Valley firefighters are taking part in a national emergency responder campaign aimed at supporting breast cancer research. 

Firefighters will wearing pink t-shirts with the Spokane Valley Fire Department logo on Oct. 25 - Oct. 27. Crews ordered 70 extra shirts that were sold to family and friends.

The fire department will donate $5 for each shirt worn to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

“Together we can raise awareness about this devastating disease and make an impact in our community by committing to regular screenings,” Bill Clifford said in a news release.

The Northern Lakes Fire Station in Hayden, Idaho, is selling similar t-shirts.

Fire investigators think the man pictured is responsible for an arson fire behind a Spokane Valley convenience store last month.

The fire was reported just after 6 p.m. on Jan. 18 behind the Hico Village at 1201 North Barker Road.

The Spokane Valley Fire Department determined the fire was intentionally set and are looking for tips identifying the culprit, the department announced Monday.

Anyone with information is asked to call (509) 928-1700, or call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.

Firefighters rescued a young whitetail deer Wednesday after it became stranded on thin ice at Liberty Lake.

Crews from the Spokane Valley Fire Department were called to the 2000 block of South Liberty Lake Drive around 10 a.m., after a resident reported a deer had fallen through the ice and was stuck.

Firefighters trained in ice rescue reached the deer about 70 to 100 yards from shore and pulled it to safety.

The animal didn’t appear to be injured, officials said.

The rescue took about 15 minutes, officials said.

The news release touting the rescue included this sentence: “Without hockey gear and other juvenile buddies around, it was determined that the young white tail wandered onto the thin ice and was stranded and not up for reindeer games.”