In brief: Death officially ruled accidental

A man initially believed to have been struck and killed by a car has now officially been determined to have died from an accident, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office.

However, investigators are still not sure of the type of accident, Spokane County sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Craig Chamberlin said.

“We are still trying to determine the exact cause of the accident,” Chamberlin said. “Detective Mike Ricketts is still investigating this.”

Michael E. Dressel, 48, was found dead at 5:30 a.m. on Feb. 19. The body was located on a sidewalk near Evergreen Elementary School by a Spokesman-Review newspaper carrier.

According to his obituary, Dressel worked 25 years for Honeywell Electronics after graduating from Shadle Park High School in 1983.

Hillyard family loses home in fire

A Hillyard home was destroyed Friday night as a fire ripped through the structure and displaced a family of four and their pets.

Several fire engines and crews arrived to the house in the 5000 block of North Regal Street around 7:20 p.m. after a resident called 911 when they saw smoke coming out of the attic.

Battalion Chief Bill Donahoe described the fire as “stubborn” because it caved in the roof in several spots and continued to burn for more than two hours. A back draft created a dangerous situation for crews as well.

Donahoe expected crews to be at the home for the majority of the night, spraying water through the roof.

One person was in the home at the time of the fire. Firefighters rescued one cat, but had to retreat from thick smoke. Two cats were still missing Friday night.

A firefighter who helped open up the home’s roof and ventilate the fire injured his knee and ankle and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Domestic violence call ends in arrests

A domestic violence call in an Airway Heights trailer park Friday morning quickly turned into a brief manhunt and led to assault charges against a woman for pointing a gun at a teenage boy who came to her aid.

Spokane County sheriff’s Deputy Craig Chamberlin said someone inside a trailer at West Prairie Villa, 2201 N. Craig Road, called 911 around 11 a.m. to report an assault. The dispatcher could hear a man in the background say that if police came, he would “shoot it out” with them, Chamberlin said.

A 16-year-old boy walking by heard noise from inside the trailer and knocked on the door to see if anyone needed help. It was then the woman in the trailer pointed a gun at the boy, Chamberlin said.

Deputies responded and quickly apprehended the man, who had fled the area, Chamberlin said. The woman was bleeding from the assault and was treated at the scene.

The man who ran, identified as 29-year-old Steven Mulinex, was taken into custody on outstanding drug warrants. Chamberlin said charges of domestic violence assault and malicious mischief are pending.

The woman, Rhyllie Stoddard, 20, was taken into custody and will be charged with assault, Chamberlin said.