In brief: Megaloads motion rejected by officer
BOISE – Idaho hearing officer and retired district Judge Duff McKee on Monday rejected a motion for reconsideration from opponents of megaloads of oil equipment traveling on U.S. Highway 12, but the opponents say they’ll now file another objection.
Borg Hendrickson, a Highway 12 resident and one of the leading opponents, said they’re disappointed with McKee’s ruling but plan to file exceptions to his decision within 21 days, as permitted by Idaho Transportation Department rules. Idaho Transportation Director Brian Ness then would decide whether to grant the exceptions and make a final decision, which still would be appealable in court.
Two men stabbed in separate incidents
Spokane police are investigating two stabbings that left victims with minor injuries and officers with little information on assailants.
One occurred about 1 a.m. Monday outside the Comfort Inn, 923 E. Third Ave., after the victim reportedly bragged “about how much money and dope he had in his car” and was assaulted by two men, said Officer Jennifer DeRuwe, spokeswoman for the Spokane Police Department.
DeRuwe said the victim was not seriously injured and that major crimes detectives are trying to track down the two assailants. Detectives have also obtained a search warrant for the victim’s car, she said.
The other occurred near North Market Street and East Queen Avenue about midnight Sunday. Police say a man had a letter opener protruding from his arm and gave confusing descriptions of what happened.
“Nothing was making sense,” DeRuwe said.
DeRuwe said the man appears to have mental illness issues, and detectives are trying to determine if the wound was self-inflicted or if an assailant is on the loose.
Anyone with information on either incident can call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
FAFB crew member dies in auto crash
A Fairchild Air Force Base crew member was killed on Saturday in a single-vehicle accident in Medical Lake.
Senior Master Sgt. Gary Gonzalez served in the 92nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, according to base officials.
Col. Paul Guemmer, 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander, said the death of Gonzalez “is a heartbreaking loss to Team Fairchild and the United States Air Force.”
The accident was under investigation, officials said.
Five charged in check forgery case
Five Spokane residents have been charged in a yearlong check forgery ring that bilked business in the Inland Northwest of more than $65,000.
A 36-count federal indictment alleges John A. Campisi, Darryl P. Sargent, Andrea N. Hartnett, Brande S. Garabedian and Chelce A. Zimmerman made and passed 431 counterfeit checks between Sept. 21, 2008, and Aug. 5, 2009, at Fred Meyer, Home Depot, Winco, Walmart, Babies R’ Us and Safeway stores.
All are charged with conspiracy to utter counterfeit securities of an organization, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.
Campisi and Sargent, who are in custody at the Spokane County Jail, also are charged with possessing five or more false identification forms and producing false identification documents, which each carry a maximum 15 years in prison.
They have pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court.
Sisters charged in theft at grandma’s
Two Medical Lake women are accused of stealing from their 91-year-old grandmother.
Twin sisters Jamee M. and Jackee D. Stearns, 23, were arrested Sunday after their grandmother told police she’d returned from her hair appointment and found at least $300 missing from her purse at her home in the 700 block of East Ladd Street, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
The woman said Jamee Stearns had talked to her for several minutes while she was in her front yard and she suspected that Jackee had entered her home through the back door at that time.
Jackee Stearns told Deputy Jeff Conway she stole the cash to pay rent, according to a news release by Sgt. Dave Reagan.
The sisters, who have previous felony theft convictions, were booked into jail on charges of residential burglary and third-degree theft.
Gunplay leads to arrest of felon
An argument between two men erupted in gunfire early Saturday in west Spokane, leading to the arrest of a convicted felon on assault and gun charges.
The victim told police he was arguing with John J. Felch, 19, about 2:30 a.m. in the intersection of Boone Avenue and Lindeke Street when Felch returned about a half hour later and opened fired. The victim called police about seven hours later to turn himself in on an unrelated warrant and to report the shooting.
Felch, described by witnesses as a gang member, was booked into jail on charges of first-degree assault and first-degree felon in possession of a firearm; police say he as a previous conviction for first-degree robbery.
Tour bus runs off road, injures 8 in N. Idaho
Eight people were injured Monday when a Canadian tour bus left U.S. Highway 95 in Boundary County and tipped into several trees.
The driver of the bus, Gang Wang, 41, of Calgary, Alberta, was cited for inattentive driving, according to the Idaho State Police.
Fifty-four passengers were in the 1999 Prevost bus when it left the right side of the highway at 7:35 a.m. just before milepost 497, near Naples, the ISP said. The bus went into a ditch, then over Shiloh Loop Road and down a steep embankment before it overturned, police said.
The passengers, whose injuries were described as minor, were taken to the Boundary Community Hospital.
Wind whips brush fire in Lincoln County
A fire whipped by 25 mph winds was raging across western Lincoln County on Monday afternoon, and state crews were being dispatched to help local fire crews.
The fire was about four miles long and burning mostly sagebrush in the vicinity of Kiner and Gibson Draw roads, northwest of Odessa, said Brian Schaeffer, assistant Spokane fire chief.
A command team from Spokane County was called out to provide management help.