In brief: Missoula woman dies from crash injuries

A Missoula woman died Wednesday of injuries she suffered in a Jan. 6 collision with a semitruck near Wallace, Idaho State Police said.

Kate E. Cummings, 27, of Missoula, died about 5:45 p.m. at Kootenai Medical Center, where she was taken after the collision on Interstate 90.

Yuriy V. Kushniruk, 30, of Vancouver, Wash., was eastbound on Interstate 90 in a semi when he lost control of the truck on the slushy road and hit the median, police said. The truck went up and over the median and hit the Subaru Impreza Cummings was driving head on.

Cummings had two children in the car, but police have not released their names, ages or conditions.

The truck caught on fire, but it was quickly extinguished. Police said Kushniruk was traveling too fast for conditions.

Chocolate milk run ends in drug arrest

An apparent trip to buy chocolate milk led to a felony drug arrest Tuesday night in Spokane Valley.

Officers Ryan Walter and Jason Karnitz followed a 1992 Eagle Talon after it pulled out of a convenience store parking lot at Park Road and Broadway Avenue about 9 p.m.

The driver made three quick turns, the pulled behind a closed business and turned off his headlights, police said. Curious, Walter and Karnitz pulled behind the Talon as the driver, Christopher Neal Kinyon, 39, exited the car.

The officers say Kinyon didn’t follow their commands and reached inside the car as if he were reaching for a weapon. They ordered him away from the car, then spotted a small bag of methamphetamine in the center console where Kinyon had reached.

Beside the meth was recently purchased chocolate milk, police said.

Kinyon, who has previous felony convictions for drugs, had a suspended driver’s license and was booked into jail for that and the drug charge.

School leaders taking questions on the air

Have a question about Spokane Public Schools that only the superintendent or a school board member can answer?

Finding out the answer will be easier tonight.

“Educating Spokane,” an hourlong live call-in show, airs at 7 p.m. on KSPS channel 7.

Spokane school board president Sue Chapin and directors Bob Douthitt and Rocky Treppiedi will join superintendent Nancy Stowell to take questions from the public.

To ask a questions, call (509) 354-7711.

Theft suspect leads officers on chase

A man suspected of stealing fuel from a Spokane gas station led police on a chase on slushy roads Wednesday before ramming a patrol car, officials said.

Police spotted Jacob S. Beck, 33, eastbound on Trent Avenue in a 1988 Mercury Cougar after reports of a driver stealing $54 in fuel from a station at 3030 E. Euclid Ave. about 3:40 p.m.

Witnesses said Beck drove his car at a customer who tried to stop him, causing a gash on the man’s hand, which led to a robbery charge. Beck then sped away from police before ramming a patrol car driven by Spokane Valley police Officer Hal Whapeles, causing minor damage, police said.

Police called off the chase because of heavy traffic and dangerous road conditions but soon found the car abandoned at Appleway Chevrolet near Sprague and Dishman Road.

Officers found Beck in a vacant lot near Sprague and Vista and booked him into jail on robbery, assault and eluding police charges.

Beck is on probation in Washington and has a nonextraditable burglary warrant out of California.

Anyone with information about Wednesday’s incident is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.