Three Face Drug Charges After Near Crash With Police

Police arrested three people and seized a load of drugs after a car nearly ran into a police cruiser in north Spokane over the weekend.

The officer stopped the car on Indiana near Wall about 9:45 p.m. and saw the three people inside apparently hiding things under the seats, police spokesman Dick Cottam said.

Police later searched the car, finding large quantities of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana, as well as a stolen .45-caliber handgun and $5,000 in cash. Specific amounts of the drugs were not reported.

Arrested were Margarita Castillo Espana, 32, of Yakima; Dennis Virgil Doney, 48, of Spokane; and Mario Castanada, 22, who said he lived in Buena, Wash.

Jailers found what appeared to be crack cocaine and black tar heroin in plastic bags strapped to Espana’s body when she was searched, authorities said.

All three were booked on drug-trafficking charges. Castanada also was charged with possession of a stolen weapon. , DataTimes