Man Arrested In Carjacking Attempt

Post Falls police arrested a 38-year-old man Friday in connection with three failed robberies, including an attempted carjacking.

Jimmy E. Laughnan was arrested on three counts of robbery and a Wisconsin extradition warrant, police said.

The first victim told police a man tried to force him to drive to Spokane about 5 p.m. The man drove to the Post Falls Police Department where he managed to get out of the car and get help.

Minutes later, a second victim said a robber tried to steal her car about four blocks east of the police station. She threw him her car key and locked herself in a nearby garage, police said.

The suspect couldn’t get the car started and he fled two blocks east to a church, according to police.

At the church, the bandit told a priest that it was an emergency and he needed a ride, police said.

Once inside the priest’s car, he told the priest that it was a robbery. The priest escaped from the car and fled.

Then, the suspect got out of the car and ran to a nearby business. There, police found Laughnan in the back seat of a parked car at 6 p.m.

The three victims all positively identified Laughnan as the culprit.