Valley Spit Spat Adds To Charges

Don’t spit in a patrol car.

A 17-year-old transient was arrested for second degree malicious mischief Monday after putting a sheriff’s deputy’s car out of service with his saliva. The teen, already in custody for alleged possession of drug paraphernalia in the Valley, spat through the screen that separated the front and back seats in the patrol car. His spit hit the dashboard and the seat, and damaged several police reports, according to sheriff’s officials.

That put the car out of service for cleaning - enough to qualify him for a malicious mischief arrest, deputies said.

The transient’s arrest might never have happened were it not for another nasty habit. Just after 4 a.m., a clerk at the Zip Trip convenience store at 10708 E. Sprague called 911 to report the theft of some cigarettes. The call led sheriff’s deputies to a car with three men inside - men who would soon be in custody on a total of six different charges.

Along with the 17-year-old, deputies arrested 26-year-old Phillip C. Thompson, of 3325 W. Hoffman, for third-degree theft and third-degree driving with a suspended license. They also arrested 18-year-old Nicholas N. Ordway, of 1717 E. Central, for unlawful possession of a firearm and misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

The store clerk told police he sold two packs of Marlboro cigarettes to a man who walked into the store at about 4 a.m. Monday. After the sale, he briefly turned his back on the customer.

When he turned around, he saw that a whole rack of Marlboro cigarettes was missing and a dark-colored Mustang was leaving the parking lot.

Deputies stopped a Mustang nearby. According to police reports, they saw numerous packs of Marlboro cigarettes inside.

They searched the car and found a sawed-off shotgun, along with two partially-consumed bottles of malt liquor. They also found marijuana pipes and a baggie of suspected illegal drugs.

The Mustang was impounded. The investigation continues, deputies said.