In brief: Robbery suspect arrested after tip

An anonymous tip led police to a suspect in a Saturday gas station robbery.

The Spokane Police Department received a tip at 10:50 p.m. Saturday that Jakob B. McMath, 25, was planning to rob a gas station and was driving a stolen red Honda Civic, said Sgt. Kevin King.

At 11 p.m., an employee at Fairco Mini-Mart, 2020 W. Francis, reported the store had been robbed by a white male wearing a mask and a blue hoodie, according to police. The suspect left on foot heading east.

About 30 minutes later, Officer James Erickson spotted a red Honda Civic heading north on Maple Street near Northwest Boulevard. With the help of other units, Erickson stopped the vehicle, which was being driven by McMath, and arrested him.

Police said they found evidence inside the vehicle linking the suspect to the Fairco robbery. McMath was booked into Spokane County Jail on charges of first degree robbery and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

K-9 helps catch Nevada fugitive

A man wanted in Nevada on a sexual assault charge was injured by a police dog Saturday after trying to evade capture in Spokane, authorities said.

Joel Cardenas, 39, was treated at a Spokane-area hospital for unspecified injuries before being booked into Spokane County Jail, where he’ll remain pending extradition to Nevada, according to the Spokane Police Department. He was found in the backyard of a northwest Spokane home about 8:30 p.m. after Nevada authorities issued a nationwide alert.

Officers first went to a home in the 1600 block of West Cleveland about 2:30 p.m. after learning Cardenas might be there, the department said.

A tipster called several hours later saying that Cardenas had returned to the home, and officers were dispatched back to the scene.

When officers arrived, Cardenas fled from a second-story window, according to police.

K-9 Officer Dan Lesser and his police dog, Rav, found Cardenas hiding in a yard in the 1700 block of West Cleveland.

Traffic stop nets pounds of pot

A routine traffic stop Sunday led Spokane police to 4 pounds of marijuana.

Officer Paul Brasch pulled over a while Honda Civic around 11:40 a.m. near Sprague Avenue and Washington Street after a computer check showed that the license plates were issued to a different car.

The driver, whose identity was being withheld, had a suspended license, according to the Spokane Police Department.

While making an inventory of the car before it was to be towed, police said, Brasch noticed a strong smell of marijuana. A Spokane County drug dog was brought in and alerted officers to having picked up the scent of illegal drugs.

Brasch obtained a search warrant and discovered a large black bag in the back seat. The bag contained 4 pounds of marijuana, police said.

The driver was booked into jail on charges of driving with a suspended license and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.

Suspect returns missing dog

A Pomeranian taken from the Northwest Seed and Pet store on East Sprague Avenue on Saturday has been returned.

The suspect called police Saturday after seeing television coverage of the theft and learning she was a suspect, according to the Spokane Police Department. She agreed to meet with Officer Stephanie Kennedy at the Walmart in Airway Heights.

She surrendered the dog, valued at $400, to Kennedy and was cited at the scene with misdemeanor theft. She was released pending a future court appearance.

GOP senator will challenge Murray

VANCOUVER, Wash. – A Republican state senator says he will enter the race for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democratic Sen. Patty Murray.

The Columbian reports state Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, announced his candidacy at a Clark County Republican party dinner Saturday. Benton joins six other Republican candidates vying to challenge Murray.

The GOP primary will be held in August.

Benton is currently serving his fourth term as the state senator from the 17th district, which includes Vancouver.

Murray is serving her third term as U.S. a senator.

UI raising funds for Boise law classes

MOSCOW, Idaho – University of Idaho officials say they hope to start offering third-year law classes this fall in Boise without state financial support.

College of Law Dean Donald Burnett said the school is raising money for the classes and a student fee increase will also help pay for the program.

The Moscow-based school had previously hoped to open a full three-year law school branch in Boise, but the State Board of Education rejected it as too expensive.

Boise is one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the country without a law school.