3 Teens Arrested In Beating

Spokane Police detectives have arrested three teenagers in the beating of a man last weekend who was walking home from a bowling alley with his mother.

The victim, John Hintz, remained in critical condition Friday at Sacred Heart Medical Center. Hintz struck his head on the sidewalk when he was attacked and remains in a coma.

The three teens were arrested Thursday night on charges of firstdegree robbery. Two are juveniles. The third is 19-year-old Darren R. Fleishour, who gave his address as 920 E. Courtland.

Police have information the group robbed the victim before they fled. Detectives still are seeking a fourth youth who actually assaulted Hintz, 35.

Police spokesman Dick Cottam said detectives know the identity of the youth and expect to make an arrest soon.

Hintz’s mother, Jackie Ogle, said her son showed more signs of awareness Friday.

“We feel like we have more hope today,” she said. “I don’t know if it was wishful thinking but I thought I saw his eyelids flutter.”

Ogle said Hintz also moved his arm and tried to pull some tubes from his face.

“That gave us hope,” she said.

On the night of Oct. 20, Hintz went to see his mother at North Bowl, 125 W. Sinto.

Hintz had a few drinks so he and his mother decided to walk home, she has said.

They walked about two miles. As they walked north on Nevada, four teens approached from Courtland, Ogle said. They walked diagonally across the street to confront the two, about three blocks from Hintz’s home.

One of the teens hit Hintz in the head, knocking him to the ground.

His mother ran to a nearby duplex and told someone there to call 911.

A passing motorist told police one of the youths kicked Hintz, a cement mason, several times while he was down.

The attack on Hintz was the second beating in a week that resulted in serious injury.

Police said another 35-year-old Spokane man also remains in critical condition after being attacked Oct. 14 in the parking lot of Tidyman’s, 6401 N. Cedar Road.

Police won’t release his name. No arrests have made in the Oct. 14 beating.

, DataTimes