Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Young boy in critical condition after pool incident

A 7-year-old boy was in critical condition Friday night after he was found unresponsive in a hotel swimming pool in Coeur d’Alene, Coeur d’Alene police reported.

Emergency crews were called at 6:30 p.m. to the Spring Hill Suites, 2250 Seltice Way, police said in a news release.

The boy had been swimming in the deep end of the hotel pool with his 12-year-old brother, family members told detectives, according to the news release. The child’s father was in the same room but in the hot tub. The 7-year-old had been diving and swimming to the bottom, but at one point did not surface. His brother alerted his dad and they pulled him from the pool. The father and another hotel guest performed CPR until police Officer Eric Paull arrived and took over, police said.

Coeur d’Alene Fire Department crews continued life-saving efforts.

The boy had a heartbeat but was not responsive. He was taken by helicopter to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and was in critical condition, police said. The boy’s family is from Missoula, Mont.

EWU coach gets restraining order

Eastern Washington University basketball coach Jim Hayford has requested a restraining order against a man who he said has been making threatening phone calls since June 2013.

A temporary restraining order against Larry A. Pierce was granted earlier this month. A restraining order valid for one year was granted during a court hearing Friday morning.

In his petition for the restraining order, Hayford wrote that Pierce has left repeated messages threatening violence against him and his family members and appeared at his home at least once. “One message threatened violence to me at my first home basketball game of the EWU season,” Hayford wrote.

In an interview Friday afternoon, Hayford said he was grateful that the judge granted the extended restraining order. “The behavior was unacceptable,” he said. “This person couldn’t keep doing what they were doing to me.”

According to court documents, Pierce blames Hayford for the breakup of his marriage. However, Pierce’s ex-wife stated in court documents that Pierce physically assaulted her and she was granted a restraining order against him.

A charge of fourth-degree assault against Pierce was dismissed after he paid a fine and completed community service.

Stabbing victim out of hospital

A man stabbed in the neck Tuesday evening in Riverfront Park has been released from the hospital, said Spokane police spokeswoman Monique Cotton.

Police believe the victim was stabbed by someone he knew near the edge of the park near Howard Street and Spokane Falls Boulevard, Cotton said.

Officers were called to Boo Radley’s gift shop about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday after the victim went there to seek help. No arrests have been made, but an investigation is continuing.

“At this point, involved individuals have not been forthcoming with information,” Cotton said.

Man sentenced for extortion, theft

A Post Falls man was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison this week after sending texts to his daughter that threatened to kill his ex-wife if she didn’t give him $25,000 for back surgery.

Larry A. Taylor, 62, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted grand theft by extortion in October. On Wednesday he was sentenced to four years in prison with another 16 years indeterminate, according to a Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office news release.

CdA police ID burglary suspects

Coeur d’Alene police have identified two juveniles suspected in recent burglaries and believe there may be more involved, according to a police news release.

A parent of one of the juveniles contacted police and said they believed their child was in possession of stolen property.

An investigation determined that the two may have been involved in more than two dozen burglaries in the area north of Interstate 90 and west of U.S. Highway 95 in the past few months, police said.

Photos of the recovered items are posted on the police department’s Facebook page.