Bad Brakes Blamed By Speeding Driver

Thu., Aug. 12, 1999

By Kristen Kromer kristenk@spokesman.com

A 1978 Oldsmobile proved no match for the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department’s Ford F250 pickup Saturday afternoon.

Marine Deputy Joe Bonin was driving the conspicuously marked sheriff’s vehicle northbound on Maple just before 1 p.m. As he neared the Maple Street bridge, the beige Oldsmobile pulled in front of him going about 40 mph. The car accelerated, reports say, and quickly reached 80 mph, then 90 mph over the bridge and into a 30 mph zone.

The car skidded and swerved before a traffic light, said sheriff’s spokesman Dave Reagan. Then the driver ran a red light and headed east into an alley near Boone where he eventually came to a stop, Reagan said.

Bonin drew his pistol and pointed at the driver, who yelled he was sorry and that he had bad brakes, Reagan said. The car held three passengers.

After the driver was handcuffed, Bonin found a small, clear vial in the car containing a substance that tested positive for cocaine, Reagan said.

The driver, identified as Robert D. Raider, 25, of 912 W. Sinto, was booked into jail on charges of attempting to elude and possession of a controlled substance.

Charges of driving without a license are pending.

Cash register stolen

Spokane police are looking for the person who broke in to the North Monroe Azar’s Sunday and escaped with the cash register.

Officers responded to the restaurant at 2501 N. Monroe at about 12:50 p.m. A security company called the police four minutes after the burglar alarm was tripped, said Spokane Police Spokesman Dick Cottam.

Officers found the front door dead bolt had been pried and twisted off the door.

A K-9 searched the building but found no one inside. The owner said the cash register was the only item that appeared to be missing, Cottam said. It is not known how much the cash register is worth or if it contained any money.

Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to call Crime Check at 456-2233.

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