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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Man shoots self in front of police

Compiled from staff reports The Spokesman-Review

After begging officers to kill him, a 32-year-old Coeur d’Alene man shot and killed himself in front of his home Thursday afternoon, police said.

Two officers had responded to a home on the 3200 block of Wedgewood Loop on the western edges of Coeur d’Alene early Thursday afternoon to check on the welfare of Bradley Yochum, according to Coeur d’Alene Police Sgt. Christie Wood.

Yochum’s wife had called 911 after she learned from Yochum’s doctor that he had called to say goodbye. While at the home, officers found a suicide note, Wood said.

Officers contacted Yochum’s wife, who returned home, and while one officer was inside the house speaking with her, Yochum came driving erratically up to the residence, Wood said. Yochum nearly hit a marked police car head-on and continued to drive up the street and then back down again toward the house, with the marked police car in pursuit, according to Wood.

Yochum nearly hit an unmarked police car near the house, and then stopped his car. When Yochum emerged from the car he was carrying a gun, Wood said.

Both officers trained their guns on him and ordered Yochum to drop his gun while Yochum screamed at them to “just kill me,” Wood said.

Ultimately, Yochum turned his gun to his head and killed himself in front of his home. Very few people were in the neighborhood at the time of the shooting, Wood said, and no one other than Yochum was injured.

Driver killed when car hits tree at high speed

Wallace, Idaho A 67-year-old Coeur d’Alene man was killed this week when his car left the Thompson Creek Road and hit a tree, according to the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office.

Michael Joseph Winker was reportedly returning from a wedding in the Murray area at 10:45 p.m. Monday when the crash occurred. The car left the road at a high rate of speed and it appeared that Winker did not attempt to stop or change direction before leaving the road, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Alcohol is believed to have played a part in the accident, the sheriff’s office said.

Sheriff Chuck Reynalds noted in a news release that more fatalities have been occurring on the Thompson Pass Road and Coeur d’Alene River Road than in all other areas of Shoshone County, including the interstate. He announced he’ll be posting additional deputies in the area to nab drunken drivers and speeders.

Hayden Lake names watershed manager

Hayden Lake has a new watershed manager who will help ensure residents aren’t polluting the lake.

Todd Walker recently contracted with the Hayden Lake Recreational Water and Sewer District for a six-month pilot period.

Walker, a Hayden Lake city councilman and former district board member, will ensure residents are complying with practices governing site disturbance, erosion control and stormwater management in the watershed.

Kootenai County is currently in charge of enforcement, but Walker will watch to make sure the county is making residents comply with the rules.

He also will offer water-quality education and awareness programs with residents, contractors and developers in the area.

The popular recreational lake provides drinking water to more than 1,000 residents.

Idaho Department of Environmental Quality’s 2000 water cleanup report – known as a total maximum daily load, or TMDL, report – shows Hayden Lake is considered threatened according to federal Clean Water Act guidelines. Increases in sediment nitrogen and phosphorus prompted the finding.

That means the state must outline ways to protect the lake from becoming polluted.

For more information, call district Chairman Gerry House at 772-4379.

Man gets probation for supplying drug

A North Idaho College student who brought a designer drug to a party last October will spend the next three years on probation for his part in the overdose death of 18-year-old Gloria Discerni.

Cameron James Jester, 19, of Lincoln, Neb., was sentenced to 2½ years in prison, but the incarceration was suspended in favor of probation by Judge Charles Hosack.

Jester’s court-appointed attorney, Lynn Nelson, apologized on behalf of his client to the parents of Discerni, an NIC student from Cottage Grove, Ore. Nelson said a number of people had asked Jester to bring LSD to the Oct. 12 party so they could try it.

Police found that the drug Jester had brought was a designer drug, likely made in a clandestine drug lab, called 5-MeO-AMT. Police testified at Jester’s preliminary hearing that it’s more potent than LSD.

After Discerni ingested the drug, she lost consciousness and was in a coma for several days, her condition worsening, before she was removed from life support.

Sandpoint asks voters about building heights

Sandpoint The question of “how high” should be answered by the Sandpoint voters, the Sandpoint City Council has decided.

From May 9 through May 13, city residents will be able to visit City Hall during business hours to cast a ballot on a recommendation from the Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission to allow buildings taller than 45 feet in certain areas of the central business district.

The council plans to meet in a workshop session Monday to decide the exact language of the advisory ballot measure. The recommendation to increase the height limit was on the council’s Wednesday night meeting agenda. But instead of voting on the recommendation, the council unanimously voted to follow the suggestion of City Clerk Helen Newton to put the matter to an advisory vote.

An advisory vote does not have the power of law, but will give the council an idea of what residents think of the proposal.

Bicycle corral service free on Bloomsday

For the 10th year, the Spokane Bicycle Club will set up a bicycle corral for Bloomies who don’t want to fight traffic and parking problems on Bloomsday.

Participants can leave their cars at home, pedal downtown and drop off their bikes at the corral, a secure fenced area in Riverfront Park. Club members will watch the bikes during the race, making sure they’re not stolen or vandalized, said Sally Phillips, the club’s vice president. The service is free.

About 150 to 200 bikers usually use the corral, but Phillips said they can handle even more.

The corral is located just south of the YMCA, about two blocks from the Bloomsday starting line, and is accessible from Howard Street. It’s open from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Bicyclists are encouraged to bring a lock to secure their bikes and may leave their helmet and warm-up clothing in the corral.

Bloomsday is May 1.