Two Arrested, One Sought After Attempted Beer Heist, Store Fight

Sat., Dec. 30, 2000

From Staff

An attempted robbery of beer turned into a brawl and ended in two arrests early Friday morning at a Spokane Valley convenience store, Spokane County sheriff’s spokesman Dave Reagan reported.

Deputies responded to the robbery about 3:30 a.m. at Zip Trip at Fourth Avenue and Sullivan Road.

Daniel James Mulvihill, 19, and Lucas Hilton Swain, 21, face charges of first-degree robbery. They were in Spokane County Jail Friday night on $10,000 bonds.

Witnesses told deputies that Mulvihill, Swain and another man tried to buy several 12-packs of beer but were told they couldn’t purchase alcohol after 2 a.m., Reagan said.

The three then tried to leave the store with the beer. A second clerk held the front doors closed, but Mulvihill ran out a back exit and the other two eventually got out the front, Reagan said.

The clerk, however, tripped Swain and held him on the ground. The other man ran away.

Mulvihill ran to the front and hit the clerk with a beer can and fists, Reagan said.

A man delivering bread to the store aided the clerk and subdued Mulvihill and held him on the ground until deputies arrived.

The man received a cut over his eye during the scuffle.

Reagan said deputies know the identity of the third man and the investigation is continuing.

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