Cheney blotter: Cheney police release March review

CHENEY – The Cheney Police Department released its monthly accountability review for March 2008.

There were 10 incidents of theft in March – that figure is down three from February and down 47.37 percent from March of 2007.

There were seven assaults, four burglaries, two stolen vehicles, eight criminal alcohol offenses, nine instances of domestic violence, three restraining orders and one drug offense.

The investigations department is still clearing cases after a backlog earlier this year.

Det. Matt Pumphrey started the month with 52 open cases, received 10 new ones and closed 18. He had 44 open cases at the end of March.

“The detective is making a really substantive dent in his caseload,” said Cmdr. Rick Campbell. “That’s encouraging.”

The Police Department has also hired a new dispatcher, Thomas Hall, and a new officer from the Eastern Washington University Police, Tyler Kullman.

The department is also gearing up for a night-time seat-belt emphasis patrol in May.

Campbell said that 96 to 98 percent of drivers wear their seat belt during the day. Those numbers drop to 80 to 85 percent of drivers wearing seat belts at night.

From April 11 through 17, Cheney Police responded to a number of calls, including:

April 11

“A 14-year-old female runaway was reported from Cheney Middle School. The girl was found and returned to her home.

“There were two attempted suicides in Cheney: one at the 2600 block of First Street and one at the 200 block of Simpson Parkway. Both patients were involuntarily taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center for treatment.

April 12

“Jeremy G. Turner, 20, was arrested on suspicion of driving with a license suspended in the third degree at the 2300 block of First Street.

“Ricardo Venegas, 22, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol at the 100 block of North Sixth Street.

“There was a report of theft in the third degree at the 400 block of Fourth Street. Someone had taken the mailbox off a house.

“Officers responded to a report of third-degree malicious mischief at Centennial Park. Someone had spray painted the men’s bathroom.

“A purple bike was found at the 300 block of Holiday.

“Gregory K. Packard, 31, was arrested at the 1500 block of Washington on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

April 13

“Danielle J. Dorman, 18, was arrested at the 000 block of Third Street on suspicion of being a minor in possession of alcohol.

“Police said that Jason S. Evenson, 23, walked into the Basement Tavern at the 300 block of First Street and incapacitated six people with a form of pepper spray.

Evenson was charged with six counts of second-degree assault, and Campbell said that additional charges may still be pending.

“There was a first-degree theft reported at the 200 block of Paradise Street. Two commercial-grade lawn mowers were stolen.

April 14

“There was a report of domestic violence at the 2300 block of University Lane. The incident was verbal only.

“Marlee A. Triplett, 19, and Amy M. Swoboda, 20, we charged under suspicion of being minors in possession of alcohol at the 1100 block of Salnave.

“There was a report of second-degree burglary at the 200 block of South Cheney Spangle Road. Some contractor-grade ladders were taken from a construction site. At the same location, there was a report of malicious mischief in the second degree. The back window of a forklift was broken, and some of the gauges of the forklift were also broken.

“Officers responded to a report of malicious mischief at the 2700 block of Al Ogden Way. A car was keyed.

“There was another report of malicious mischief at the 300 block of Erie Street when another car was keyed.

“There was a report of second-degree malicious mischief at the 2300 block of University Lane. A vehicle was spray painted.

“An unattended car was hit by an unknown driver in the Safeway parking lot.

“Andrew D. Beaudoin, 21, was arrested for suspicion of driving with a suspended license at the 400 block of First Street.

April 15

“There was a report of second-degree theft in the parking lot of Safeway. A purse was taken from a shopping cart.

April 16

“Three 13-year-old girls and a 12 year-old girl were arrested at Cheney Middle School on suspicion of third-degree assault.

“A gas can was found at the 300 block of Second Street.

April 17

“A residential burglary was reported at the 1300 block of Third Street. An X-Box, a wallet and some cash werer reported missing.

“There was an account of property damage on Salnave Road, but there was not enough evidence to warrant a state report.

“Joseph D. Cawyer, 18, was arrested on suspicion of third-degree theft. Cawyer is suspected of shoplifting at Safeway.