In brief: Unidentified body found in Spokane River

Hikers discovered the body of a man in the Spokane River near the T.J. Meenach Bridge late Friday afternoon.

The body was recovered by Spokane Fire Department crews. The man’s identity and cause of death will be released by the Medical Examiner’s Office, police spokeswoman Monique Cotton said. “The body has been there more than a few days,” she said.

Police will check to see if anyone has been reported missing recently.

“We just don’t know a whole lot at this point,” Cotton said.

Man charged with slapping neighbor

A Spokane man who allegedly slapped his neighbor and threatened him with a gun during an argument appeared in court Friday on a charge of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon.

Charles R. Sokolik, 48, has been living in a camper behind a home in the 3700 block of East Olympic Avenue. Sokolik allegedly got in an argument with the resident of the home late Thursday night and slapped him in the face. He then pulled a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at the resident, according to court documents.

Police officers said Sokolik admitted hitting the man and pointing a gun at him. He told police where to find the loaded handgun inside the doorway of his camper, according to court documents. They recovered a Ruger .22-caliber semi-automatic handgun from the camper.

Sokolik was ordered held on $10,000 bond during his court appearance.