Man Identified In Robbery, Ramming

Thu., March 5, 1998

From Staff And Wire Reports

Spokane County deputies used fingerprints to determine the identity of a man who rammed two sheriff’s cars and a home Tuesday after a robbery attempt.

Brian J. Kausshen, 31, of Spokane is being held in the Spokane County Jail on two counts of first-degree robbery and one count of first-degree assault. Bail is set at $20,000.

Investigators have not determined whether he will be charged with the federal crime of carjacking.

According to court documents, Kausshen has an outstanding arrest warrant in Idaho for felony possession of drugs. He also has been convicted of felony drug possession in Spokane County.

He gave a false name of Mark Wallace when he was arrested Tuesday night.

Kausshen is accused of attempting to rob the Java Jump espresso stand near Mullan and Valley Way about 5:10 p.m. Tuesday.

When the clerk ran off, Kausshen forced a man out of a pickup at gunpoint in the parking lot and lead deputies on a chase.

It ended when deputies attempted to stop him in the East 9800 block of Valley Way. Kausshen used the truck to ram two patrol cars and stopped when he hit a house.

No one was injured.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

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.