Drug raids by officers productive

Spokane-area detectives made several drug busts Thursday, killed a dog and arrested a mother who took her sons with her while she dealt methamphetamine, officials said.

After Spokane undercover officers purchased a pound of marijuana from dealers at 2328 W. Broad Ave., they obtained a search warrant and raided the home at 8:30 p.m. Thursday. Inside, the homeowner’s pit bull attacked the first officer, Lt. Darrell Toombs said.

“The point man, as he came through, was actually struck in the chest by a large pit bull,” Toombs said. “The dog fortunately bounced off of him, and as he made his second attempt to get at the officer, the officer shot him.”

Detective Tom Hendren said the dog was actually biting the barrel of the officer’s gun when he pulled the trigger.

Detective Jeff Barrington said officers found five suspects sitting around a coffee table that contained 3 pounds of marijuana and about 7 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms.

The quantity of mushrooms seized is thought to be the largest in the drug unit’s history, Toombs said.

“It appeared they were having a little marijuana-mushroom party,” Barrington said. “Each one was obviously under the influence of some sort of hallucinogen.”

Asked if they ran, Barrington and Hendren laughed. “Let’s put it this way, they weren’t even fazed by the gunshot that went off in the house,” Barrington said.

Also seized from the home, and during a search of a car, were several hundred tablets of Ecstasy and several hits of what was suspected to be LSD.

“These are drugs aimed at kids,” Toombs said.

The searches by Spokane police led to seven arrests for felony possession. Arrested at the home were 25-year-old Jacob M. Ingmire, who lives in the home; 19-year-old transient Kelly L. Hopkins; Stefan M. Didier, 22, of 7221 N. Quamish Drive; Isaiah G. Snyder, 21, of Sandpoint; Jason M. Webb, 21, of 2329 29th Ave.; Christopher G. Patterson, 19, who gave his address as 2136 S. Grand Blvd.; and 22-year-old James G. Fitzgerald, who gave no address.

Also Thursday, investigators from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office made seven more arrests and took five children into protective custody while serving search warrants at four Spokane Valley homes. They seized marijuana and nearly 21 grams of methamphetamine, spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said.The search warrants were the result of months of investigative work, Reagan said.

Detectives found 86 marijuana plants and a quarter-pound of harvested pot in the garage at 7101 E. Marietta, Reagan said. The residents, Susan K. Bates, 43, and Thomas Merrill, 40, were each charged with manufacturing a controlled substance.

Lindsay C. King, 26, was arrested on two counts of delivery of a controlled substance, Reagan said. Investigators were able to make two controlled buys from King, who lives at 10822 E. Fairview. On one occasion, she brought at least two of her children along during the drug deal.

King’s five sons – between the ages of 9 months and 9 years old – were taken into custody by Child Protective Services, officials said. Detectives said they found a small amount of methamphetamine in the home. They took into evidence the van they say she used during the drug deals.

Roxann M. Hanson, 42, was arrested after detectives found methamphetamine in her purse, Reagan said. An additional quarter-ounce was found underneath her bed at her home at 9515 E. Shannon.

Detectives then raided a duplex apartment at 11523 E. Mission. David Mulroy, 41, the resident, was arrested on two counts of delivery of a controlled substance, Reagan said.

Small amounts of methamphetamine were found in the duplex, and the detectives got a bonus bust. A woman who called while investigators were doing their search at the Mission Avenue residence told the detective who answered the phone she was coming over to make a purchase.

Heather R. Becker, 30, and her boyfriend, Shawn E. Fowler, 34, both transients, were met by detectives when they arrived, Reagan said. “When Becker exited the car, detectives saw she’d been sitting on a half-ounce of methamphetamine.”

Becker and Fowler were each charged with possession of a controlled substance, Reagan said. The car they were driving was seized because investigators think additional meth may be inside it.