Stolen car drags gas station employee

A suspected gas thief dragged a Spokane convenience store employee about 20 feet and collided with another vehicle before fleeing, only to be arrested hours later in North Idaho.

Police say Jeffrey A. Denny, 37, pumped $86 in gasoline from a Zip Trip store at 15019 E. Trent Ave. about 1:15 p.m., then handed an employee what appeared to be a bank account application. When Denny attempted to drive away, another employee tried to remove the Jeep Wrangler’s keys and was dragged about 20 feet, according to police. The employee said there were no keys in the ignition.

After Denny was arrested about 4:30 p.m. in Hayden, Kootenai County sheriff’s deputies determined the Jeep was stolen.

Deputies found what they believe to be methamphetamine on Denny, according to police. He was booked into Kootenai County Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance, grand theft and possession of a stolen vehicle.

Meghann M. Cuniff

Free safety seat inspections today

Safe Kids Spokane will hold a car seat checkup today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the AAA office at 1717 W. Fourth Ave. in Spokane.

The Spokane coalition has held the event, called Safe Kids Buckle Up, for 10 years. Officials have checked more than 2,500 child safety seats in Eastern Washington, Spokane police Officer Teresa Fuller said.

The inspections take about 30 minutes to complete, AAA spokeswoman Cassie Devaney said in a news release.

Vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, studies show that child safety seats used correctly are effective in reducing deaths and injuries. But most parents don’t use the seats correctly.

“With over 80 percent of car seats installed improperly, it is an absolute priority for AAA to continue to partner with Safe Kids Buckle Up to provide this life-saving service,” Devaney said.

Thomas Clouse

Two mattress fires reported hours apart

The Spokane Fire Department responded to two separate mattress fires in northeast Spokane within hours of each other late Thursday and early Friday.

Firefighters first were called to a house fire at 3411 E. Jackson St. around 10 p.m. Thursday and adult residents indicated that some of the children in the home were playing with matches, Battalion Chief Mike Inman said in a news release.

Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire.

Then at 1:19 a.m. Friday, crews were called to the same general neighborhood, to 4003 E. Cleveland Ave., on what again turned out to be a mattress fire, Inman said.

One of the home’s residents suffered burns on the wrist and another suffered smoke inhalation. Both were treated at the scene, Inman said.

The fire was quickly extinguished, Inman said, and its cause remains under investigation.

Thomas Clouse