Driver Beaten After Collision With Parked Car
Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a felony assault after a 25-year-old man was beaten following a weekend traffic accident.
Russell Taft suffered two large cuts to his face, several broken teeth and possible nose and jaw fractures during the beating, according to Spokane Valley Fire reports.
The accident happened early Sunday in the 10900 block of east Mission Avenue.
Taft was driving his car west on Mission about 4 a.m. and hit a parked car, said deputy David Reagan. When Taft sought help from a nearby home, he was attacked and beaten, possibly by the owner of the parked car, Reagan said.
Deputies were unable to find Taft’s attacker. Taft was taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center where he was treated and released, a hospital spokesman said.
Man arrested in robbery
A 60-year-old Valley man was booked into jail Saturday night, accused of threatening a store security officer with a knife.
The incident started when the security officer stopped the man, who was suspected of shoplifting at Yoke’s Pac ‘N Save Foods, 15111 E. Sprague. That’s when Roy E. Clowers pulled out a pocket knife and threatened the security officer, deputies said.
The security officer and another store employee wrestled the knife from Clowers and held him until deputies arrived. No one was injured.
Clowers, who told deputies he lives at 604 S. Sullivan, was arrested on first-degree burglary charges.
Deputies said the security officer began chasing Clowers after watching him put a candy bar in his pocket and leave the store without paying.
Boat motor stolen, man arrested
Deputies arrested a 33-year-old man Saturday after he allegedly slipped out the back door of a Valley store with his 3-year-old daughter and a stolen boat motor in tow.
Randall R. Forney, who gave his address as 119 N. Conklin, was booked into jail for second-degree theft, a felony.
Employees at the White Elephant Surplus Store, 12614 E. Sprague, told deputies Forney stole a MinnKota electric boat motor valued at $400.
Deputies questioned Forney and arrested him without incident. Forney’s daughter was picked up by a relative.
Fire destroys mobile home
A faulty electrical outlet appears to have sparked a fire that destroyed a Valley resident’s mobile home last week, fire officials said.
The fire raced through Dean Maschner’s home at 11920 E. Mansfield No. 7 about 7 a.m. Flames were visible through windows in the center of the single-wide trailer and smoke filled the home by the time firefighters arrived.
Maschner, who lives by himself, was not home when the fire started.
Valley Fire Inspector Kevin Miller said an electrical outlet malfunctioned and caught a couch on fire. Maschner had had electrical problems since an ice storm and massive power outage gripped the area last month, Miller said.
, DataTimes