Springdale Contractor Faces Impersonation Trial

Fri., July 31, 1998

An unregistered Springdale, Wash., contractor faces trial for allegedly impersonating a Colville contractor with the same last name.

James “Pat” Anderson has pleaded innocent in Stevens County District Court to misdemeanor charges of first-degree criminal impersonation and failure to pay or appeal a $5,000 fine by the state Department of Labor and Industries. The fine was for failure to register his contracting business.

If convicted, Anderson could get up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine for the impersonation charge. The failure-to-pay charge carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Deputy Stevens County Prosecutor Lew Schrawyer said in court documents that Anderson fraudulently assumed the identity of Colville contractor Dave Anderson. Schrawyer said James Anderson used Dave Anderson’s state Labor and Industries registration number to persuade Springdale resident Tracey Williamson to hire him for repair work on her fire-damaged home.

State officials discovered James Anderson’s business was unregistered after Williamson complained that he failed to do the work she paid him to do, and that he substituted used fixtures for the new ones she supplied.

No trial date has been set.

Anderson is the husband of former Springdale Town Councilwoman Lonnie Anderson.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.