Teens Rescued, Arrested Pair Tried To Retrieve Sunglasses, Became Stranded Under The Monroe Street Bridge

Two Spokane teens were arrested Wednesday after an attempt to retrieve a pair of sunglasses left them stranded on the south bank of the Spokane River under the Monroe Street Bridge just feet from the falls.

The unidentified 16-year-olds were charged with misdemeanors and were held for the day in juvenile detention.

Officers said they did not know if the sunglasses were found.

“They’re going down to Juvenile to think about all the trouble they caused today,” said officer Jeff Graves, who arrested the boys. “They used some poor judgment.”

It is against the law to be in the river or on its banks without flotation devices along the stretch between the Monroe Street and Division Street bridges, with the exception of much of Riverfront Park.

The teens were found just east of Monroe.

Members of the technical rescue team from Spokane Fire Department Station 4 rappelled down a wall to the riverbank. A ladder eventually was lowered for the youths, fire officials said.

It was the second time the rescue team worked the shores of the river Wednesday. Earlier in the afternoon, the team had saved two dogs that were stranded on a cement block in the river near Cavanaughs Inn at the Park.