In brief: Man charged in Priest Lake killing

Bonner County has filed murder charges in the death of Leslie C. Breaw, 48, whose body was found March 19 in the Priest Lake area by an Idaho Department of Lands employee.

Keith A. Brown, 46, is charged with first-degree murder and grand theft for his alleged role in the man’s death. Brown’s initial court appearance on the charges is set for today.

The FBI and Florida authorities arrested Brown in March for allegedly using Breaw’s credit card. Brown’s wife, Tyrah, was arrested for a parole violation.

Brown said Breaw was accidentally shot as the two struggled over a gun, the Associated Press reported last week. Brown remains in the Bonner County Jail.

Boundary County

Woman killed, man hurt in crash

A 34-year-old Troy, Mont., woman was killed Tuesday evening after her car went off U.S. Highway 2 near the Idaho-Montana border.

Lynn M. Smith was eastbound on U.S. 2 just before 8 p.m. when she failed to negotiate a curve, according to Idaho State Police. The 1998 Mercury Sable went off the right side of the road and rolled down an embankment. Smith was thrown from the car.

Passenger Toby J. Jones, 44, also of Troy, was taken to Boundary Community Hospital in Bonners Ferry, treated and released.

Bonner County

Sheriff to release survey findings

Bonner County Sheriff Elaine Savage is making public the results of a community survey about her department.

The results will be shared at community meetings next week in Sandpoint and Priest River, Savage said Wednesday.

The meetings will give residents a chance to discuss the survey’s findings, including what the community views as the top issue facing law enforcement in the county and the sheriff’s plan for addressing community concerns. The meetings will touch on residents’ approval and satisfaction rating with the sheriff’s office and with funding issues.

The meetings will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Sandpoint High School auditorium and 6 p.m. Thursday at Priest River Junior High School auditorium.

Coeur d’Alene

47 apply for police chief job

Nearly 50 people have applied to be Coeur d’Alene’s new police chief.

Candidates from across the country are vying to replace Wendy Carpenter, who plans to retire this year, said Pam MacDonald, the city’s human resources director.

MacDonald said 47 people applied for the job, which pays $72,500 to $102,000 annually. The names of applicants and other details, including whether any are internal candidates, are being withheld, MacDonald said. A committee of city department heads and human resources employees will screen applicants, and candidate interviews may begin by June, she said.

Spokane

‘Nomad Bandit’ pleads guilty

The so-called “Nomad Bandit,” suspected of robbing at least 16 banks in the Northwest, pleaded guilty to holding up six of them and attempting to rob a seventh when he appeared Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Spokane.

Jeremy Lewis Stewart, 28, likely faces a lengthy prison term when he is sentenced Aug. 23 by U.S. District Court Judge Edward Shea.

Stewart’s bank robbery spree started, FBI agents said, when he became disgusted with an $800 assessment levied against his personal US Bank account while he was in jail on an unrelated charge.

He pleaded guilty to robbing a US Bank branch at 7307 N. Division last December, a bank in Coeur d’Alene and four others in the Seattle area. Stewart also admitted that he tried to rob a bank in Tigard, Ore.

As part of a plea agreement, Stewart won’t be charged with the other robberies he is suspected of committing.

Stewart was living in Reardan, just west of Spokane, last fall.

Reardan Police Chief Gary Redmond, a former Spokane County sheriff’s deputy, recognized Stewart and alerted the FBI after getting a copy of a bank-robbery poster showing the “Nomad Bandit” robbing a bank in Kent, Wash.

Cheney

Student brought gun to school

A Three Springs High School student was arrested Wednesday after he brought an unloaded gun to school and left it in his car.

Students at the school told school staff and told them of the gun, according to a district letter sent to parents. Cheney police identified the student as 18-year-old Garrett Stone.

A school resource officer and the school’s administrator got permission from the student to search the car. They found the .38-caliber Smith and Wesson handgun, a Cheney police official said.

“At no time were students or staff in any danger,” said Michael Dunn, Cheney Public Schools superintendent.

The student was cited for having a weapon on campus and for unlawful handling of a dangerous weapon, Cheney police said.