In brief: Kayaker rescued from Spokane River

A 51-year-old man was rescued from the Spokane River on Sunday afternoon after his kayak overturned near North Flora Road in Spokane Valley.

While navigating rapids, the kayak filled with water and capsized around 3:20 p.m. The kayaker was swept downstream in the swift current and was unable to reach shore.

Members of the Spokane Valley Fire Department’s swift-water rescue team used kayaks to reach the man as he approached the Spokane Valley Mall area. He was given a medical evaluation and released.

The kayaker was wearing appropriate flotation equipment, which helped protect him from drowning, the fire department said.

Man to stand trial in Mill Pond death

A North Idaho magistrate judge has ruled there’s enough evidence for a Post Falls man to stand trial on a second-degree murder charge over an 18-year-old’s drowning death.

Magistrate Robert Burton bound Dylan P. Paschall, 20, over to district court Thursday after a hearing detailing the March 24, 2012, death of Luke Anana-Kuewa.

Prosecutors said Paschall and friends were drinking and smoking marijuana on the shore of Mill Pond when they were joined by Anana-Kuewa. Witnesses testified that Anana-Kuewa also drank and smoked pot, then started yelling and acting erratically.

Paschall, 20, told detectives with the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office that he went into the frigid water multiple times to bring Anana-Kuewa back to shore.

Kootenai County Deputy Prosecutor David Robins contended that Paschall punched Anana-Kuewa, and that at least two others also either punched or choked him. Robins said they left without alerting authorities that Anana-Kuewa might be in trouble.

Paschall is being held in the Kootenai County jail.