In brief: Man’s body found in vacant lot

Spokane police are investigating an unattended death in a vacant lot behind Value Village in north Spokane, but investigators don’t believe the death is suspicious.

The man was in his 40s and his body was found just before 2 p.m. in the lot off of Wall Street near Sharp Avenue, police spokesman Cpl. Glenn Bartlett said.

There was no obvious cause of death, Bartlett said.

Robert Steele, who lives across the street from the lot, said he was hanging out with his neighbors Wednesday afternoon when a man came over and asked to use a phone, saying he’d found a dead body. Steele said it’s common for homeless people to spend time in the lot and on the hill overlooking it.

BNSF engine catches fire

A BNSF Railway locomotive caught fire outside of Cheney Wednesday afternoon, but fire crews doused the flames quickly once the train stopped.

An empty train was on the BNSF main line just west of Cheney heading toward Spokane when flames were spotted in the second of three engines, said BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas. Crew members in the first engine brought the train to a stop.

The cause of the fire, which did not spread, is under investigation. The train was released at 7 p.m. and the damaged engine was brought to Spokane for repairs, Melonas said. Six other BNSF trains were delayed by the fire.

Grant County deputy fired

The Grant County sheriff has fired Deputy Corey Linscott after Linscott was arrested for allegedly assaulting his stepson in April.

The decision to fire Linscott came after an internal investigation into his conduct, according to a Grant County Sheriff’s Office news release. The former deputy is accused of grabbing his stepson by the throat and forcing him out of the house. “Given the results of the investigation and the actions and behaviors of Corey Linscott both during the incident in his home and during the internal investigation, I was left with no other choice,” Sheriff Tom Jones said in the news release.

The criminal investigation of the alleged assault was completed by the Quincy Police Department. Its recommendations are under review by the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office.