Public urination claim doesn’t stop probe
A 22-year-old man's claim of public urination didn't stop a sheriff's deputy investigating suspicious activity at a north Spokane church late Monday, officials said today.
Yuriy V. Siriy had 19 car keys of various shapes and sizes when Deputy Daryl Smith searched him after arresting him on misdemeanor warrants, according to the Spokane County Sheriff's Office.
Smith was patrolling the Morgan Acres area of north Spokane County when he spotted a man "step out of the shadows" from behind Morgan Acres Community Church, 7319 N. Regal St., according to a news release by sheriff's spokesman Deputy Craig Chamberlin.
Smith contacted the man and identified him as Siriy.
" Siriy stated he was walking home and needed to urinate so he went behind the church to stay out of sight," Chamberlin wrote. Siriy was wearing a nylon belt with pockets containing the keys, many of which were shaved.
"Shaved keys are commonly used to defeat locks during crimes such as vehicle theft, vehicle prowling and burglary," Chamberlin wrote.
Chamberlin said Siriy "became verbally abusive and uncooperative" while in the patrol car and was unable to unlatch his seat belt. A second deputy rode in the vehicle after restraining Siriy and re-securing his seat belt.
Siriy was booked into the jail on misdemeanor charges of possession of burglary tools and obstructing in addition to the misdemeanor warrants for hit and run of an unattended vehicle and hit and run of an attended vehicle.