`One-Sided’ Fight At West Valley High Leads To Arrest Of Student

A West Valley High School student was arrested on drug and assault charges Tuesday morning after fighting with another student.

Sheriff’s deputies were called to the school about 7 a.m. after the 17-year-old pushed a 15-year-old to his knees and punched him in the face, said Lt. Clyde Ries.

“This was pretty one-sided,” said assistant principal Mike Van Matre. The 17-year-old had been suspended several times in the past for fighting, Van Matre added.

School officials told the boy he was being suspended again, Ries said. When deputies tried to take him off school grounds, he refused to leave, and yelled profanities at deputies.

A metal pipe with marijuana residue was found in one of the boy’s pockets, Ries said.

He was charged with assault, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest.

Stolen vehicle recovered

A Valley man was arrested Monday night after a dispute over payment for a motel room resulted in discovery of a stolen car.

Scott M. Johnson, 33, E10722 27th, was charged with taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s permission.

Deputies were called to the Maple Tree Motel and RV Park, E4824 Sprague, about 7:30 p.m. Manager James Hopper said a man had tried to pay for a room with someone else’s credit card number.

Deputies drove up to the room and ran a check on the car parked in front, a 1951 Chevrolet pickup truck. The check showed the truck was stolen. Johnson told deputies he had borrowed the truck from his girlfriend’s father.

Cab driver robbed

A cab driver was robbed by a passenger with a gun late last Saturday.

Samuel Taschereau, a driver for U-City Cab, picked up a teenager at the Jackpot gas station at Sprague and Coleman just before 10 p.m., Ries said.

Taschereau took the teen to East Valley Manor Apartments, E14526 Rockwell, and turned around to collect the fare of $11.95, Ries said. Instead of paying, the teen pointed a small black handgun at the driver and demanded money.

Taschereau gave the teen a $20 bill, which the robber grabbed, then jumped out of the cab and walked behind one of the buildings in the apartment complex, Ries said.

Deputies searched the area with a police dog, but did not find the robber. Taschereau and a clerk at the Jackpot gas station said the teen was short and wore a dark hooded sweatshirt.

Woman arrested on drug charges

An Idaho woman was arrested in the Valley early Wednesday after deputies found drugs in her car.

Elberteen L. Pearson, 25, of Coeur d’Alene, was parked on Wellesley near Idaho Road about 12:30 a.m., Ries said. Deputy Paul Jackson stopped because the driver was having trouble starting her car.

Jackson checked the car on a computer, which showed that Pearson had warrants out for her arrest. Shortly after, the car started and Pearson drove away. Deputy Jackson followed her to N4828 Powell and arrested her on charges of driving with a suspended license.

When Jackson searched the car, he found a small bag with a substance later identified as methamphetamine under the passenger seat, Ries said.

Both Pearson and her passenger, Leroy Morgan, denied knowing about the drugs under the seat.