Man accused of kicking, biting Spokane firefighter

Spokane firefighters reported being bitten and kicked in the face while brawling with a man they were attempting to treat Saturday on the Maple Street Bridge. Spokane firefighters responded around 11 p.m. to conduct a welfare check on the bridge, where they found Charlston D. Harper unresponsive and began treating him, according to court documents. Harper awoke, stood up and a threw a punch at one firefighter, and another firefighter responded by tackling Harper, court documents say. As the firefighters tried to restrain Harper, he kicked one of them in the face and bit him once in the left thigh, court documents say. At least one other firefighter was standing by. A Spokane police officer responded to arrest Harper. Court documents indicate they made a stop at Deaconess Hospital, and that one firefighter had fresh scratches on his arms. Harper, 33, is being held in the Spokane County Jail on a $10,000 bond. He faces two charges of third-degree assault.