In brief: Toy gun at school leads to arrest of two boys

Two boys were arrested at Lakeland High School in Rathdrum on Wednesday after one allegedly carried a realistic-looking toy gun into the school.

One of the boys was carrying the gun in his sweatshirt pocket with the handle sticking out, according to the Rathdrum Police Department, which responded to the 1:25 p.m. incident. After being detained by the vice principal and searched, the other boy was found to have marijuana and drug paraphernalia in his pocket.

The boys, 13 and 12, are from Post Falls. They were allegedly at the school to deliver the marijuana and paraphernalia to a 15-year-old sister of one of the boys. She is a Lakeland student, according to police reports. The sister confirmed their story, police said.

Before entering the school, one of the boys had pointed the gun at a customer of a nearby restaurant, who thought it was real and felt threatened, police said.

The boys were booked into the Kootenai County Juvenile Detention Center on charges of disturbing the peace, possession and conspiracy to possess marijuana and drug paraphernalia and assault. The sister also is being charged with conspiracy to possess marijuana, but she was not booked.

Off-duty officer detains suspect

A Spokane police officer on his way home from work Wednesday afternoon caught a suspected bank robber only minutes after the robbery was reported.

A man entered the Washington Trust Bank at 27 E. Indiana Ave. around 3:30 p.m. and demanded cash, according to a police news release. He did not show a weapon.

Officer Jim Christensen was on his way home when he spotted the suspect riding a bike near Division Street and Mission Avenue, the news release said. The man, whose name was not released, was arrested without incident.

Lewiston woman injured in rollover

A driver on U.S. Highway 195 was seriously injured in a rollover crash Wednesday morning near Spangle.

Wynter W. Spencer, 36, was thrown from her Mazda Protege about 9:30 a.m. after it rolled into a wheat field. Spencer, of Lewiston, was transported by helicopter to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. Her injuries were serious but not life-threatening, authorities said.

Washington State Patrol spokesman Trooper Jeff Sevigney said Spencer was driving north on the highway, got distracted by her radio and drifted onto the right shoulder. Spencer, who was not wearing a seat belt, over-corrected and crossed the center line, hitting a southbound car.

Jeffrey B. Wilmoth, 29, of Spokane, was driving the Subaru Legacy that Spencer struck. He was wearing a seat belt and was uninjured.

Pro-Uber bill passes despite city protests

BOISE – The Idaho Senate has approved legislation proposed by a lobbyist for Uber to ban city regulation of the ride-sharing service in Idaho; the bill was opposed by Idaho cities including Coeur d’Alene and Boise.

But Sen. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, was the bill’s Senate sponsor, and Sen. Mary Souza, R-Coeur d’Alene, who represents the city, voted in favor.

“We’re just trying to open up a new model of transportation,” Nonini told the Senate. “I think because it’s a new model and a new concept that we’re not used to, we’re being a little gun-shy, and we shouldn’t be gun-shy.” Sen. Maryanne Jordan, D-Boise, president of the Boise City Council, spoke passionately against the bill. “Cities all over the country are struggling with this,” she said.

The bill, which includes an emergency clause making it effective immediately, already passed the House; Wednesday’s 23-11 vote sends it to Gov. Butch Otter.

Man convicted in 2007 killings

SEATTLE – A Seattle jury Wednesday convicted a 36-year-old man of killing six members of his ex-girlfriend’s family on Christmas Eve 2007.

Jurors deliberated for less than two days before finding Joseph McEnroe guilty of six counts of first-degree murder with aggravating circumstances.

McEnroe faces either life in prison without parole or execution, which jurors will decide in a second phase of the trial.

Prosecutors say McEnroe and his former girlfriend, Michele Anderson, shot and killed three generations of her family in Carnation, Washington.