Police locate boy taken by father
Spokane police have located the 7-year-old boy taken from a north Spokane home during the weekend by his father during a domestic dispute, authorities said Monday.
The boy was found at a relative’s home, police said. He has been taken into custody by Child Protective Services.
His father, 45-year-old Frank T. Redthunder, remains at large and is wanted on assault charges as well as two outstanding warrants not related to the incident.
On Saturday, officers responded to a call for help at the 1100 block of North Stone Street.
Witnesses said the boy was last seen bicycling away from that address with his father. Redthunder stands 5-feet-7, was wearing his hair in long black braids and was last seen riding a silver bicycle.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 242-TIPS.
Sumner, Wash.
Bicyclist hit by truck identified
A bicyclist killed last week in Sumner, Wash., when he fell in front of a dump truck has been identified as Collin Keck, a 2004 Bozeman High School graduate.
Keck, 22, had been living in Auburn, Wash. He was cycling to work Thursday morning when his tires slipped on some grass, causing him to fall into the street, authorities said.
The truck was unable to stop before hitting him, and he died at the scene.
Keck graduated magna cum laude from Gonzaga University this year and had recently started working as a civil engineer, said his parents, Tom and Mary Keck of Bozeman.
Spirit Lake, Idaho
Lawsuit against principal settled
A spat over face paint between two North Idaho middle school girls and their principal resulted in each of the girls’ families getting more than $20,000 to settle a federal lawsuit.
Sara DeHart and Lauren Essman experienced swelling, abrasions and peeling after Timberlake Junior High School Principal Georgeanne Griffith used rubbing alcohol, industrial cleaner, fingernail polish remover and an unknown ointment to wipe paint off their faces, according to the lawsuit filed in August 2007 against Griffith and the Lakeland School District. The girls painted their faces as part of spirit week activities at the Spirit Lake school but didn’t remove the paint after Griffith ordered all students to do so.
Now the family of each girl will receive $20,250 from the school district’s insurance company, according to an agreement. The lawsuit was dismissed earlier this month. The families’ lawyers, Melanie Baillie and Leander James, are entitled to a third of the settlement.
Spokane Valley
Burglar leaves stinky calling card
A burglar urinated and defecated on desktops and inside drawers during a late-night break-in that caused nearly $100,000 in damage at a Spokane Valley business last week.
Now Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information leading to the culprit’s capture.
The break-in occurred Sept. 13 about midnight at Aztech Electric Inc., 5204 E. Broadway Ave.
The suspect forced entry and used office keys to access all areas of the plant, smashing computer parts with a hammer, discharging dry chemical fire extinguishers and breaking the valve of a propane tank, causing it to leak, according to Spokane Valley police. The suspect also blew up a spray paint can inside a microwave, according to police. At least eight Milwaukee-brand band saws were stolen in the break-in.
Footprints suggest only one person was involved, but police have no suspects.
Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (509) 327-5111 or submit tips online at www.crimestoppersinland northwest.org. Tipsters do not have to give their name but should leave a code name or number.
Pullman
Police seek man who demanded kiss
Authorities are looking for a man who tried to force a woman to kiss him after he grabbed her on a Pullman street early Sept. 7, officials said.
The 19-year-old told police she was walking on Valley Road toward Merman Drive when the man approached her. She said the man grabbed her by the shoulders, hugged her and demanded the kiss. She refused.
“He threatened her if she screamed,” said Pullman Police Sgt. Dan Dornes. When pedestrians approached her, she screamed. The man let her go and quickly walked away.
Police are asking for any information regarding this incident, or identity of the suspect: (509) 334-0802.
Olympia
Former state patrol chief dies of cancer
George Tellevik, a former chief of the Washington State Patrol, died of cancer last weekend. He was 74.
Tellevik was chief from 1985 to 1993 and will be remembered for preparing future law enforcement leaders.
During his tenure at the top of the state’s police agency, Tellevik increased the number of troopers and helped secure funding to improve facilities, according to press a release.
He is the second former WSP leader to die in the past two months. Retired chief Will Bachofner, 92, died in August from injuries sustained in a car accident.
Eugene, Ore.
Idaho skateboarder sues Oregon
A lawsuit seeks $32 million from the city of Eugene and the state of Oregon for injuries suffered by an Idaho woman in a 2006 traffic accident.
The suit says three traffic lights weren’t working when a car hit 29-year-old Kimberly Hagen as she was skateboarding.
She was in Eugene to perform in a stilt-walking puppeteering troupe at the county fair.
Police say the driver couldn’t see Hagen and was not cited.
Her mother, Marsha Hagen, says her daughter graduated 13 years ago from high school in Coeur d’Alene, and the injuries have ended her dream of becoming an acrobat.
Everett
Rescuers locate two injured hikers
The Snohomish County sheriff’s office says rescuers have reached injured hikers in two operations in the North Cascades.
A man who apparently broke his leg at Buck Pass in the Glacier Peak Wilderness has been loaded on horseback and could ride out as soon as Monday afternoon. He used a ham radio to call for help Sunday and reached someone in Bozeman, who called Snohomish Search and Rescue.
It could be Tuesday morning before rescuers make it out with a man who fell down a glacier at Three Fingers Mountain near Darrington. He used a cell phone to call for help Sunday with a leg sprain. Sheriff’s Lt. Rodney Rochon says the two operations are using about 75 people, nearly all the trained volunteers in northwest Washington.
Longview, Wash.
Power plant opts for natural gas
The proposed power plant at the Port of Kalama is switching from a gasification technology to natural gas.
Energy Northwest notified the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council of the change this month and plans to seek a permit for the revised project in October or November.
Richland-based Energy Northwest originally wanted to gasify coal or an oil refining byproduct called petcoke. But the council ruled that would violate a new state law on greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy Northwest spokesman Brad Peck says that leaves natural gas as the only steady power source left to tap.
From staff and wire reports