Bond $1 million for assault suspect
A 23-year-old Post Falls man accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in Coeur d’Alene’s City Park Monday is being held on a $1 million bond.
Daniel Lee Dixon made his first appearance in court Tuesday on two felony charges – lewd conduct with a child under 16 and kidnapping; and misdemeanor charges – enticing children, possession of drug paraphernalia and malicious injury to property.
Dixon was arrested in the park Monday afternoon after a 12-year-old girl reported to her mother that he had grabbed her and forced her to a concealed area near the steps at Independence Point, according to the Coeur d’Alene Police.
“He picked her up and cradled her in his arms and had her on his lap” where he sexually assaulted her, according to Sgt. Christie Wood. The girl started screaming and he let her go, Wood said.
The girl ran to her mother, who called police. Police were in the area and arrived soon, and while they were interviewing the girl and mother, two other young girls approached them and said Dixon had been trying to wave them over to him, Wood said.
The 12-year-old girl was able to point Dixon out to police in the park, and he was arrested. While in the patrol car, he kicked out a passenger window, according to police.
While in court Tuesday, as Magistrate Judge Scott Wayman repeated the accusations against Dixon, Dixon sat shaking his head. When Wayman told Dixon that he was issuing a no-contact order, prohibiting Dixon to have contact with the girl or her mother, Dixon muttered, “Never met her.”
Wayman said that due to the extreme nature of the two felonies, he was imposing a $1 million bond.
He appointed a public defender for Dixon, although Dixon said he may try to hire his own attorney.
Woman thrown from car dies walking to road
Moscow, Idaho A 40-year-old Moscow woman was killed early Monday morning after losing control of her car on Thorn Creek Road in Latah County, according to the Idaho State Police.
Shelly R. Reaves, 40, was driving west on the road when her 1983 American Motors Eagle went off the south side of the road shortly before 6 a.m. and rolled, according to the ISP.
Reaves was ejected from the vehicle, but got back in and drove through a wheat field toward U.S. Highway 95, according to the ISP. When the car became stuck in the field, she got out and walked back to Thorn Creek Road. She died of her injuries on the edge of the road, the ISP reported.
Jail study expanded for holding cells, courtrooms
The Kootenai County Commission is expanding its current jail study to find out how much it would cost to construct a new building to hold inmates waiting for court appearances that would include a few new courtrooms.
Kootenai County Sheriff Capt. Travis Chaney said the current holding facility is too small and presents safety issues because inmates must be taken outside to get to the courtrooms in either the courthouse or the justice building on Garden Avenue.
The commission approved paying consultants KMB an additional $4,600 to determine the feasibility of building a new court hold facility that would have courtrooms on the top level.
The consultant is already studying how much it would cost to expand the county jail, which is becoming overcrowded. The commission expects to have a final report by Aug. 15.
The current court hold is in an old brick building between the courthouse facilities. The county’s building and maintenance shop is on the top floor. The county would have to relocate the maintenance shop but no new location has been found, Chaney said.
Administrative Judge Charles Hosack said that courtroom space is currently maxed out and that judges often have to use the spare courtroom at the county jail. As the population increases, Hosack said, the county will need to build new courtrooms.