Briefly

Oakesdale man, 67, found dead after tractor apparently rolls over

A 67-year-old Whitman County man was killed when the tractor he was using apparently rolled over Tuesday evening.

Darrel E. Engel of Oakesdale was last seen cutting the grass along the shoulder of Bongarts Road. He was riding a John Deere 2640 farm tractor. When he hadn’t returned home after dark, a family member went looking for him and discovered the tractor and Engel’s body at the bottom of a steep embankment, a Sheriff’s Office report said.

An initial investigation indicated the tractor had gotten too close to the edge of the roadway and overturned.

It rolled down the embankment and came to rest on its wheels, according to reports. Engel died at the scene of extensive internal injuries, the report said.

The incident is under investigation by the Whitman County sheriff’s and coroner’s offices.

Man arrested in Pennsylvania murder probe

Spokane County sheriff’s detectives and undercover deputies helped Pennsylvania authorities arrest a 21-year-old Spokane man Wednesday in connection with a homicide that occurred in that state last May.

Michael Eric Zeravica was booked into the Spokane County Jail about 8 a.m. on a local charge of being a fugitive from justice, sheriff’s spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said in a press release.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Steve Barbieri, Detective Doug Marske and deputies assigned to the career criminal unit set up surveillance early Wednesday at Zeravica’s home, 4917 E. 14th Ave.

They waited until the suspect drove away from the home and then arrested him on East 13th Avenue, Reagan said.

Detectives John Clark and Mark Zupan of the Westmoreland County, Pa., District Attorney’s Office had flown to Spokane on Tuesday to arrest Zeravica in connection with their homicide investigation.

Reagan did not release any details of that investigation.

Child-luring incidents reported in Deer Park

Spokane County sheriff’s detectives are investigating three recent reports of child luring in Deer Park.

On Sunday, a Deer Park woman reported that two males in a red, two-door car followed her 8-year-old son home, sheriff’s spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said.

The boy was walking behind a pawn shop about 7:45 p.m. when the two men, who appeared to be about 40 years old, tried to talk the boy into approaching them. The boy became frightened and ran home through a field, Reagan said.

The boy told his mother that the two men continued to follow him in the red car, which had a dent on the driver’s door.

On Monday, another Deer Park woman reported that her two children, a 12-year-old boy and 9-year-old girl, were followed home from the city swimming pool by a 1990s red, two-door car with a dent in the driver’s door.

The children said the car slowly followed them as they walked about 5:45 p.m. The children became scared and ran into a nearby discount store, Reagan said.

The car drove off before the children could get a description of any people inside.

In a third incident, a woman reported Tuesday that her 6-year-old son had been approached in Swinyard Park by two men in a red car.

The two men asked the boy to accompany them home to make a video, Reagan said.

Detectives want to hear from any other parents whose children have had similar encounters, Reagan said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233 or 911 if the suspects are still in the area.