Drug Arrest Closes Interesection

An 18-year-old South Side man was arrested last week after Spokane police watched the sale of marijuana to a minor.

The intersection of 29th and Grand Boulevard was blocked for a short time about 7:45 p.m. Wednesday as police stopped and arrested Jay Dax Pennell.

Special investigations unit officers obtained a search warrant for Pennell’s residence at 1110 E. 41st and entered the house about 8:30 p.m.

They recovered about a quarter pound of marijuana packaged for sale, said police spokesman Dick Cottam.

Officers said nearly two dozen neighbors in the area had complained to police about drug activities at Pennell’s house over time. Officers had been investigating the suspect for several months before the arrest.

Pennell was booked into jail on felony counts of delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and distributing a controlled substance to a minor.

Store clerk attacked when group steals beer

A group stole beer from a downtown convenience store late last week, and one member punched the clerk as the group left.

The clerk at Mid City Food Mart, 822 W. Second, said four males and two females walked in about 11:30 p.m. last Thursday and went to the rear of the store. They picked up a half-rack and four 40-ounce bottles of beer and headed for the door, he said.

The clerk said that when he tried to stop them, one man punched him in the face, and the group ran.

The only one the clerk could describe was a Hispanic male, 20 to 23 years old, about 5 feet 8-inches tall and 200 pounds. The clerk did not require medical care for his injury, Cottam said.

Spokane residents targeted in phone scam

Spokane police received at least nine more reports last week of calls to area residents asking for donations to the McGruff program.

McGruff is the symbol of a nationwide safety program for children. It’s designed to protect children by establishing “McGruff Safe Houses” along routes to and from schools.

The caller has been dialing area residents and asking to come to their homes to pick up a donation. The caller refuses to give an address to send donations.

But neither the police nor sheriff’s deputies ever solicit money for McGruff by phone, said Cottam. He warned those who receive such a call to hang up.

Officials believe the caller may be trying to get addresses to burglarize homes, Cottam said.

He said phone and mail scams tend to increase during the holiday season.

Legitimate organizations will always respond to questions, provide a mailing address, offer printed data on their charity and explain exactly where the donations are spent.

Anyone who receives a call soliciting donations for the McGruff program is asked to call Crime Check at 456-2233.