Region in brief: Roommate of man found dead arrested

The roommate of a man found dead near Green Bluff was arrested Tuesday on a felony drug charge, one week after detectives reportedly found “several hundred grams of marijuana” in his home.

Miguel A. Rodriguez-Barbosa, 18, lived with Jesus Torres Valdovinos, 25, at 623 E. Vicksburg Ave. and told detectives last week that he was being trained to take over his roommate’s marijuana business because the man was traveling to Mexico for a year.

Valdovinos paid an $85,000 debt to his supplier Oct. 17, Rodriguez-Barbosa told investigators, one day before his body was found along Day-Mt. Spokane Road.

Detectives are looking for information on a storage unit in the Spokane area that Valdovinos or Rodriguez-Barbosa rented. Rodriguez-Barbosa told detectives Valdovinos stored guns, marijuana and money there.

Investigators also are looking for a love seat missing from the home. Anyone with information can call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.

Meghann M. Cuniff

Valley fires displace three families

Two structure fires in Spokane Valley had firefighters scrambling Tuesday morning.

The first fire call, at 9:42 a.m., involved a second-floor apartment at 11910 E. Broadway Ave.

The blaze blew out a glass door to the master bedroom and closed Broadway for nearly two hours.

A grandmother and her son were home at the time of the blaze, and the grandmother suffered minor smoke inhalation after she went back in to find her dog, said Capt. Jeff Bordwell, of the Spokane Valley Fire Department.

At 11:41 a.m., firefighters were called to 3522 N. Park Road, after a basement fire had spread into the attic. The fire was spotted by the owner as she arrived home, officials said.

Three families were displaced in the morning fires and were being assisted by the American Red Cross. The causes of the fires was under investigation.

From staff reports

No painkiller in stock for would-be robber

An armed would-be robber left a Hayden pharmacy empty-handed Tuesday night after being told none of the powerful painkiller he wanted was in stock.

Kootenai County sheriff’s Sgt. Andy Boyle said a man entered the newly opened Walgreens pharmacy at Highway 95 and Honeysuckle Avenue about 5 p.m., displayed a handgun and gave a note to an employee, demanding OxyContin. The robber fled, however, after being told the pharmacy didn’t have any, Boyle said.

Authorities established a perimeter and tried unsuccessfully to track the robber with a police dog. No injuries were reported.

David Wasson