Suspect sought in stabbing

Coeur d’Alene Police are looking for a man suspected of stabbing three people at a party early Sunday.

The 2 a.m. stabbing followed a night of drinking and drug use by some of the victims and suspects, police said in a news release Sunday. A confrontation erupted at the party at 2019 Lily Drive, and the suspect is accused of stabbing three people with a knife. All three were treated at Kootenai Medical Center and released.

Jessica Bowman, 18, of Coeur d’Alene was stabbed in the lower left leg. Tony Riggs, 19, of Coeur d’Alene, was stabbed twice in the arm and broke his ankle while leaving the scene. A 16-year-old male was stabbed in the back of the head, neck, chest, arm and leg.

Police are looking for the suspected stabber, a man with the first name of Jamal.

Detectives are also looking for a juvenile male suspect who pulled a handgun and threatened people during the fight.

Authorities will be seeking arrest warrants for both suspects, police said.

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to call the police department at 769-2320 or the Tip Line at 769-2296.

Divers rescue men in ice mishap

Two men were rescued by firefighters and the Kootenai County Sheriff’s dive rescue team Sunday afternoon after an ice-fishing outing went awry, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

Henry Scheller, 74, of Coeur d’Alene, was ice-fishing off the shore of Twin Lakes near Par 3 Road when he fell through the ice shortly after 1 p.m., according to the Sheriff’s Department.

Patrick Mott, 65, of Rathdrum, saw Scheller in the water and tried to push a small boat across the ice in an attempt to rescue him. But as Mott approached Scheller, he too fell through the ice.

Firefighters Phil Foley and Fritz Wiedenhoff of Northern Lakes Fire District responded, as did the sheriff’s dive team, Spirit Lake Fire Department and Idaho State Police. Foley and Wiedenhoff, suited and roped up, walked across the ice, and then crawled to the victims with a floating basket that Scheller and Mott were able to grab, Foley said.

Mott walked off the ice, but rescuers pulled Scheller – who had been in the icy water as long as 20 minutes – off the lake in the basket, Foley said. Scheller was treated and released from Kootenai Medical Center.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department warned that with the recent warm afternoons, the ice is no longer as strong as it once was. The department advised that if people must venture onto the ice, they should wear a life jacket.

Inmate hangs self in jail cell

An inmate of the Kootenai County Jail committed suicide Sunday afternoon, the Sheriff’s Department reported.

According to a news release from the department, an inmate in the unclassified male housing pod noticed another inmate hanging from the bedding in his cell at about 4 p.m. The name of the man was not being released until his family could be notified.

The Coeur d’Alene Police Department was called in to investigate, as is standard procedure.

Moscow police vote to unionize

Moscow, Idaho Moscow officials were taken aback to learn police officers voted unanimously last week to join the Service Employees International Union.

“There have been some comments forwarded to me about employee dissatisfaction with pay and benefits,” City Supervisor Gary Riedner said. “We instituted a pay for performance program to deal with some iniquities that existed. I know some employees have complained about it.”

The city adopted a performance-based raise evaluation plan two years ago that replaced a system that gave pay increases based on the number of years an employee was employed with the city.

Service Employees International Union chapter President George Holmes said most cities and counties have separate employment and compensation policies for law enforcement officers.

Holmes said the police officers wanted to have more say in the way the city handles their contracts.

Moscow Police Chief Dan Weaver said he was not informed his officers had joined the union, and that he has not received a list of specific complaints.

He said in September that officers were concerned about the new pay raise system. He said it is difficult to evaluate performance when the officers’ duty is to prevent crime.

Defibrillators sought for schools

Orofino, Idaho Following the cardiac arrest of an Orofino High School basketball player during a game this month, agencies have donated money and technology to get emergency defibrillators in area schools.

Martha Dempsey of American West Bank presented a $1,950 check to the family of Justin Haag and Orofino High School student Taylor Stifanick on Friday for the purchase of two automatic emergency defibrillators.

Casey Meza, CEO of Clearwater Valley Hospital and Clinics in Orofino and St. Mary’s Hospital and Clinics in Cottonwood, and other hospital employees pledged to provide devices for schools in six districts, including the Orofino district.