Man Dies From Heart Attack After Dispute

Tue., May 20, 1997

By Adam Lynn adaml@spokesman.com

A Spokane man died of a heart attack Saturday, minutes after he got into a dispute over what was on television at a laundry, police said.

Detectives are investigating, but criminal charges aren’t likely, police Lt. Jerry Oien said Monday.

The incident occurred about 1:30 p.m. at Bubble Land, 2720 E. 29th, as Roy and Linda Hollingsworth were waiting for their clothes to dry.

Linda Hollingsworth said she and her husband of 31 years were watching a movie on the laundry’s TV when another man switched the channel.

Hollingsworth said her husband, who has a history of heart problems, confronted the man, who wasn’t identified.

“Roy said, ‘Hey, we were watching that,’ and gave him a little push with the end of his fingertips,” she said. “It couldn’t have hurt him any.”

The man wheeled on her husband and cursed at him, Linda Hollingsworth said. The men then began to scuffle.

Linda Hollingsworth said the channel-switcher grabbed her husband by the arms and refused to let go until she pried his fingers free.

Moments later, 49-year-old Roy Hollingsworth fell to the floor. Paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive the father of three.

An account to help Linda Hollingsworth pay for her husband’s funeral has been started at the Washington Mutual branch inside the South Hill Rosauers grocery store.

, DataTimes

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