Six-year-old boy struck by car
A 6-year-old boy was struck by a car Thursday afternoon when his grandmother ignored signs telling pedestrians not to cross Division Street, Spokane police said.
The boy was taken by ambulance to Sacred Heart Medical Center with injuries that didn’t appear to be life threatening, said Sgt. Jim Lundgren.
He was “extremely fortunate” not to have been injured worse, Lundgren said.
The grandmother and her grandchildren were walking east across Division at Wabash Avenue, in front of NorthTown Mall, when her 6-year-old grandson broke away and darted ahead of her, Lundgren said.
A northbound Honda Civic struck the boy about 5:50 p.m.
“The driver could not have seen him,” said Dottie Sims, a Chattaroy resident who witnessed the incident.
There used to be a crosswalk at the intersection, but that recently has been removed, and signs telling pedestrians not to walk at the site have been posted.
A bicyclist was injured at the same spot in October.
Lundgren said it is unlikely that the Civic’s driver would be cited. Lundgren said traffic officers would decide if the grandmother would be ticketed for ignoring the signs.
Woman at large after Geiger escape
A Spokane woman remained at large Thursday, a day after she escaped from Geiger Corrections Center.
Jaymie C. Fowler, 21, was one of two women who scaled three fences around the women’s campus at Geiger, which is a minimum- and medium-security corrections center run by Spokane County.
Investigators believe she got a ride from the area soon after fleeing about 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The other escapee, Amanda George, climbed the fences about 15 minutes later, but she was apprehended soon after leaving the campus. George was at Geiger facing charges of theft, forgery and identity theft.
Fowler and George were the first inmates to bust out of Geiger’s women’s campus, which was created in March to separate the sexes.
Geiger is rushing to improve security at the site, director Leon Long said.
Long said razor wire was installed on one of the fences along the women’s campus perimeter Thursday. The fences had only barbed wire at the top when the women escaped. Long said cameras monitoring the yard are being installed this week.
Fowler, who was serving time for assault, is white, 5-foot-4 and 130 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Long said anyone with information on Fowler’s whereabouts should call 911.
Teenager hospitalized after attack at school
A 16-year-old East Valley High School student was sent to the hospital Thursday after he was punched and kicked by two other students, Spokane Valley police said.
The victim suffered a possible concussion and apparently was knocked unconscious after he was punched in the face by another 16-year-old student, police spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said in a press release. The victim was then kicked by the boy who threw the punch and a 17-year-old.
The two allegedly attacked the victim because he made a disparaging comment about a teenager who was killed early Sunday when he was struck by a train in the Valley, Reagan said. The 16-year-old attacker was a friend of the boy who died.
Spokane Valley police were called to the high school about 9:15 a.m., but the 16-year-old attacker already had left the school, Reagan said.
The 17-year-old was arrested and booked in Spokane County Juvenile Detention on a count of fourth-degree assault. The 16-year-old will face the same charge when he is found, Reagan said.
The victim was not expected to need an overnight stay at the hospital.
Burn victim’s mother thanks doctors
Seattle The mother of one of two 4-year-old Spokane boys burned last weekend thanked doctors Thursday and those who came to aid the youngsters.
Theresa Ashmore said she feels helpless while her son Brian Ashmore is undergoing treatment at Harborview Medical Center. He is in critical condition with burns over 60 percent of his body.
Brian Ashmore and his friend were either on or near a plastic slide when they were burned. Investigators believe the boys found a gas can and poured gasoline on the slide in an effort to go faster. Investigators said it’s possible the fumes were ignited by static electricity.
The gas can was nearby after a recent lawn mowing.
The other boy, identified as Alexander Brown, was in serious condition with burns over 50 percent of his body.
Spokane schools ban sale of some foods
The Spokane Public Schools board of directors on Wednesday banned the sale of certain foods, including ice cream, soda and candy, at all schools in the district.
The ban, which will take effect in the fall, aims to curtail obesity and related health problems in schoolchildren.
Student groups raised concerns that the policy would significantly cut revenue at stores operated by a school marketing club.
A nutrition and health committee will be formed to monitor the policy and produce annual reports.
Douglas County picks vote-by-mail system
East Wenatchee, Wash. Douglas County has become the latest in the state to opt for a vote-by-mail system.
County commissioners made that decision unanimously Wednesday.
State law says the county must provide at least one voting machine for people with disabilities and, because of the size of the county, touch-screen machines with paper tracking will be provided in Bridgeport, Waterville and East Wenatchee, said Pat Pennington, Douglas County elections supervisor.
The first mail election will be in September.
CdA bar’s poker run aids charities, arts
Owners of Grandma’s Backyard Barbecue in Coeur d’Alene have organized a poker run June 25 to raise money for Anchor House, Project Safe Place and the Art on the Edge program.
Participation costs $10 and starts at Grandma’s, located at 19th and Sherman Avenue. Check-in is from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Participants will decide which charity to play for, and then drive to four other bars in Kootenai County, collecting a card at each site, and vie for the best poker hand.
Other bars participating are the Linger Longer Lounge in Spirit Lake, One Eye in Rathdrum, Cruisers in Post Falls and Twelve Ten Tavern in Coeur d’Alene. Players will return to Grandma’s by 7 p.m. The person with the best poker hand will win half the entry fees.
The rest will go to the charities as well as any money raised in a raffle.
For information, call (208) 664-4491.