In brief: Man accused of exposure at library

A man previously convicted of indecent exposure after repeated offenses in libraries on the Gonzaga and Eastern Washington University campuses was arrested Wednesday after he was allegedly seen touching himself inappropriately in the Shadle Library.

An off-duty Spokane County deputy sheriff said he saw Steven J. Snedden, 50, masturbating while sitting on the floor behind a shelf and staring at the deputy’s 10-year-old daughter, according to court documents. He asked Snedden to step outside, then the two fought as the deputy tried to detain Snedden, court documents say.

Snedden told the arresting police officer that he wasn’t guilty of the indecent exposure charge because he didn’t mean for the deputy to see him, court documents say.

During a brief court appearance Thursday, Snedden’s bond was set at $25,000. He has six previous felony convictions in Washington state, including three for indecent exposure and one for burglary with a sexual motivation. Snedden has also been convicted of indecent exposure in several other states, according to previous news coverage.

Event will focus on Columbia River treaty update

Modernizing the Columbia River Treaty is the focus of this year’s Winter Waters event, which takes place Feb. 21, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., at the Patsy Clark Mansion, 2208 W. Second Ave., Spokane.

D.R. Michel, executive director of the Upper Columbia United Tribes, will keynote the event, which is organized by the Sierra Club and the Center for Environmental Law and Policy.

Norman Whittlesey and Walt Butcher, both emeritus professors at Washington State University, will be honored for their work in water economics and scrutiny of federal and state irrigation projects.

Tickets are $25. To RSVP, contact John Osborn at john@waterplanet.ws or (509) 939-1290.

Police say man stole two cars

Spokane police are looking for a man they believe stole two cars Thursday, crashing the first one into a tree after the victim’s son armed himself and pursued the stolen vehicle.

A car that had been warming up unattended at Fiske Street and Indiana Avenue was stolen around 7:30 a.m., Spokane police said. The victim’s son armed himself and pursued the thief, who crashed into a tree at Regal Street and Upriver Drive, a news release said. The thief fled on foot.

Witnesses told police they saw the thief at a nearby apartment complex getting into a black Ford Probe. That vehicle had been reported stolen on Wednesday around 9:30 p.m., the release said. The thief drove from the area in the second stolen vehicle, which officers later located, unoccupied, near 400 E. Montgomery Ave.

Police have identified a possible suspect. They said he is white, about 19 to 20 years old, has dirty-brown curly hair and was wearing jeans, a tan jacket and a backpack.