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

In Brief: Man shot in back with air rifle

From Staff And Wire Reports

The man shot while operating heavy equipment at the intersection of Adams Road and Cataldo Avenue Thursday evening was shot in the back with an air rifle, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators determined that the suspect, who has not been identified by deputies and has not been arrested, used a .177-caliber, high-powered, scoped air rifle that is capable of firing pellets at 1,200 feet per second, said Sheriff’s Office spokesman Craig Chamberlin.

The pellet still is lodged in the victim after doctors determined it would be better to leave it in place, Chamberlin said.

The suspect was quickly located at a home in the 1000 block of North Burns Road adjacent to the vacant lot where the man was working. He is not a resident in the home but was visiting the homeowner’s daughter, Chamberlin said.

The investigation is ongoing and detectives will forward a criminal charge recommendation to the prosecutor’s office, Chamberlin said.

The vacant land is owned by Black Realty, which plans to put 29 single-family homes on the property. The victim is employed by MDM Excavation, a Hayden-based company grading the site in preparation for construction.

Riverfront to celebrate Expo ’74

Riverfront Park will host an all-day celebration June 21 to observe the 40th anniversary of Expo ’74.

The event includes free guided history tours, 74-cent hot dogs, presentations of plans to improve the park and the 40th birthday of the garbage goat sculpture. A free concert also will be held by Tops in Blue, a United States Air Force touring ensemble, at 8 p.m. at the Lilac Bowl.

The celebration will cap a big week for city parks.

All Riverfront Park attractions will open daily starting today for summer.

On Monday, the city’s pools open for the season and the city’s summer youth camps begin. On Wednesday, the movie “Frozen” will be shown at dusk in the Lilac Bowl.

Riverkeeper Mihailovich resigns

Bart Mihailovich, director of the nonprofit Spokane Riverkeeper, is leaving his job to take a position with Waterkeeper Alliance, the international parent organization for riverkeeper and waterkeeper programs.

Mihailovich has been with the Spokane Riverkeeper program for four years. His last day is July 2.

In his new job, Mihailovich said he’ll be the affiliate coordinator for the Waterkeeper Alliance, working to increase the number of waterkeepers worldwide. Founded in 1999 by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the alliance works to engage local citizens to protect water quality in their watersheds.

Mihailovich said he’ll remain in Spokane for his new job.

BOZEMAN – A southwestern Montana man was arrested for driving under the influence after Gallatin County deputies say he drove drunk to bail his wife out of jail for her DUI arrest hours earlier.

Rick Fancher, 62, of Big Sky, was arrested early Friday and charged with his third DUI, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported.

Prosecutors say jail staff reported Fancher left the jail at 3:30 a.m. after trying to post bond for 44-year-old Stacey Jo Fancher. She had been arrested for aggravated DUI with a blood-alcohol level of 0.201. A deputy stopped Rick Fancher’s pickup near the jail. Court records say his blood-alcohol level was 0.159.