In Brief: Not guilty pleas entered in Post Falls double homicide
A judge entered not guilty pleas Thursday for a man charged with murder in the strangulation of his wife and her little girl in their Post Falls apartment July 8.
Angel Albertico Morales-Larranaga, 24, chose to remain silent when 1st District Judge Fred Gibler asked for his plea. Gibler then entered a “not guilty” plea to both counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Facunda Velenzuelaleon, 24, and Dayana M. Valencia, 6.
Morales-Larranaga, who is from Mexico, is being held in the Kootenai County Jail on $2 million bail. An interpreter translated Thursday’s court proceeding for him.
Post Falls police arrested Morales-Larranaga in his SUV at Spokane Street and Poleline Avenue after a friend of his called to report he had confessed to the killings at Tullamore Commons on East Laurelbrook Drive.
The Kootenai County prosecuting attorney’s office has not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty in the case, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jedediah Whitaker told Gibler. The judge granted an extension to make that decision.
Notice: Pot-themed tour buses a no-go
OLYMPIA – The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission on Thursday issued a notice telling charter and excursion bus operators that it’s illegal to allow marijuana consumption on board.
The notice was issued after several transportation companies filed permit applications to provide marijuana-themed tour buses, according to a news release from the commission.
Charter and other excursion vehicles as well as their drivers and passengers are considered to be in view of the general public, the notice said. That makes consumption of marijuana illegal under provisions of the law approved by voters in 2012.
The notice points to another state law that prohibits smoking in public places and at places of employment. It also cited federal safety regulations that prohibit the use of marijuana by commercial vehicle drivers.
Shoshone County’s air fails EPA levels
Smoke from wood stoves is the primary contributor to unhealthy levels of fine particles in the air in Western Shoshone County, according to state and federal officials, who are working on a plan to improve air quality.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to designate the areas in and around Kellogg, Smelterville and Pinehurst as a nonattainment area for federal air-quality standards. The state of Idaho will have until the end of October to provide information to EPA, then a final decision on designation will be made by EPA in December. State officials would then have until 2016 to create a plan for improving air quality in the designated area.
Based on air monitoring, wood smoke during the winter months is the primary culprit for poor air quality, but prescribed burning in local forests is also a factor.
Pickup pulling trailer crashes, injures 3
Three people were injured Thursday when the pickup they were in rolled into the median on U.S. Highway 2 in Pend Oreille County, the Washington State Patrol reported.
Larry Hoggarth, 66, was driving a 1997 Ford pickup that was towing a travel trailer when the trailer began to sway and he lost control of the pickup about 2 p.m. 15 miles southwest of Newport, WSP said.
Hoggarth and his two passengers, 12-year-old Cassidy Smith and 9-year-old Cassidy Smith, were injured and taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. Hoggarth was listed in serious condition Thursday night. Conditions of his passengers were not available Thursday. All three are from Marysville, Wash. Cassidy Smith was taken from the scene by helicopter, WSP said.
WSP said the crash was caused by speeding.
Man accused of stealing host’s pants
A man faces a potential robbery charge after police say he swiped a pair of women’s pants from an apartment, then tried to punch a man who came to help.
Richard Sala, 24, was booked into Spokane County Jail just before 10 p.m. Wednesday, facing a charge of second-degree robbery. A woman told officers she invited Sala into her apartment to take a shower, then he left wearing her pants. When she confronted him, he refused to remove the pants and took a swing at another man who tried to detain him until police arrived.
After he was placed in a squad car, Sala said he would have given the pants back if the woman had asked nicely, according to court documents.
Sala was also booked into jail on an outstanding warrant from an assault case in May. He is accused of shoving and punching staff at Holy Family Hospital during an emergency room visit. He had been scheduled to appear in drug court on that case last week, but did not appear for his hearing, according to court records.
TV show will feature search for Barnard
The manhunt in Washington for a suspected cult leader facing 59 counts of sexual molestation of children in Minnesota will be the focus of an episode of “The Hunt with John Walsh,” set to air on CNN Sunday at 6 p.m.
Victor Barnard, 52, is the leader of River Road Fellowship. He is accused of using his leadership position in what some describe as a religious cult to solicit sex from girls as young as 12.
Earlier this year Barnard was thought to be in Spokane, where some of his followers have settled. On Aug. 13 the Washington State Patrol reported that the agency had a “credible tip” that Barnard was spotted in the Raymond, Washington, area in a dark blue, two-door Audi sports car with tinted windows and a spoiler.
Two face charges
of heroin, meth sales
Spokane police arrested two men Tuesday they suspect of delivering and selling heroin and methamphetamine from Yakima.
Daniel Gonzalez, 36, and Freddy Ray Vasquez, 48, were booked into Spokane County Jail just before 3 a.m. Wednesday facing potential charges of delivery of controlled substances. Police were alerted Gonzalez and Vasquez would be delivering drugs to a Spokane home by another man who was arrested last week on suspicions of drug dealing, according to court documents.
Substances testing positive for heroin and methamphetamine were found in a Honda sedan licensed to Gonzalez that the pair drove to a house for a planned deal, according to court documents.
The man who alerted police to the deal identified the dealer only by his street name, “Taz,” and said the man was responsible for delivering drugs to several dealers in Spokane, according to court documents.