Pizza Delivery Man Punched And Robbed During Dispute

A pizza delivery became violent late Monday when a delivery man was punched and robbed of his pizzas.

Spokane County sheriffs deputies said Domino’s Pizza driver Alexander Popou made a delivery to a house at 1319 N. Stanley and was greeted by Sandra Schnettler, 25. Popou told deputies that after a dispute over payment for the pizza, Schnettler punched him in the mouth and snatched two pizzas from his hands, said Sheriff’s department spokesman Lt. David Wiyrick.

Deputies arrested Schnettler, who gave her address as the north Stanley house, for first-degree robbery.

They added a second charge of fourth-degree assault of a deputy - and applied leg restraints - after Schnettler became violent, spitting at and kicking a deputy on the way to a Sheriff’s Department cruiser, Wiyrick said.

Roxanne Lentz, lunch manager of the Domino’s Pizza on Mission where Popou works, said that although robberies happen occasionally, they are not a big problem.

“It’s the first one that has happened since I’ve been here in about two years,” Lentz said.

Deputies were in the area investigating a report of shots fired when Popou said he was robbed. Wiyrick said deputies were watching the area when they heard yelling and saw a red Camaro squealing away from the same house where the pizza incident occurred.

Deputies stopped the car and after questioning 41-year-old Richard Ridley, determined he had been shooting a handgun at a tree in the front yard of the North Stanley house, Wiyrick said.

Ridley, who gave his address as 1319 N. Stanley, was arrested for second-degree reckless endangerment and was taken to the county jail.

Seven arrested in drug bust

Acting on a tip, undercover officers raided a Valley motel Monday and arrested seven people after seizing drugs, guns and $7,000.

As members of the Sheriff’s Investigative Support Unit raced through the door, the suspects hurried to flush plastic bags of methamphetamines down the toilet, Wiyrick said.

Deputies said they were able to retrieve several of the bags before they were flushed.

Arrested were: Frederick Deann, 29, Dennis Stevens, 34, Michelle Wilkenson, 40, Thomas Gunning, 40, Robin McNutt, 21, Christine Lozeau, 28, and a 17-year-old girl.

Fire damages home

Fire destroyed a basement full of furniture and stereo equipment in a Valley home July 7 and smoke damaged the upstairs.

The owner, Joseph Ruscio, was watching television upstairs when the room began to get dark, according to Valley Fire reports.

When Ruscio realized it was smoke he dragged his garden hose from the back yard and started down the stairs toward the fire. Ruscio was only able to make it down about four steps before the smoke pushed him back.

He dropped the hose on the stairs and rushed next door to call the fire department. Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze before it destroyed the house at 116 N. Bannen Road. Investigators said the fire was started by an extension cord that ran under a couch. They estimated the damage at $50,000.

Theft suspect wanted in Arizona

Deputies charged a Valley man on Monday with the theft of jewels from a safety deposit box he shared with his aunt.

Daniel Hamilton, 33, was charged with first-degree theft and firstdegree trafficking in stolen property.

Deputies said Hamilton snatched jewelry valued at more than $4,000 from his aunt’s safety deposit box and sold them at a local pawn shop. Hamilton, of 14023 E. Desmet, is also being held as a fugitive on an outstanding warrant in Arizona.

, DataTimes