Police searching for bank robber

Spokane police hope the man who robbed a North Side bank Wednesday will be caught red-handed.

He got an undisclosed amount of cash and an exploding dye pack when he displayed a robbery note, but no weapon, to a teller at the US Bank branch at 123 E. Queen Ave. about 4:40 p.m.

Officer Jennifer DeRuwe said the robber fled on foot, east on Queen and north on Lidgerwood Street.

He was described as white, 40 to 50 years old, about 6 feet tall and thin, with a scraggly beard and sunken cheeks.

His hair and eye color weren’t available, but DeRuwe said the robber was wearing a green-and-black jacket and what the teller described as a “beanie cap” over what appeared to be short hair.

Coeur d’Alene

Rape suspect’s trial delayed for holiday

The trial of serial rape suspect Paul E. Hawkins has been postponed until after the holidays.

Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas said Hawkins’ attorneys asked for more time to prepare for the trial, which was scheduled to begin next week.

Hawkins, 34, has been charged with the 2003 home-invasion rapes or attempted rapes of six women in Post Falls, Coeur d’Alene, Rathdrum and Spirit Lake. He’s been charged with a total of 24 crimes including the rapes, attempted rapes, other sex crimes, burglary, battery and robbery.

He remains in the Kootenai County Jail on $10 million bail.

Naples, Idaho

Teen’s death being investigated

Boundary County authorities are investigating the suspicious death of a 16-year-old boy.

The body of James “Jimmy” Wylie was discovered Monday morning in a residence in Naples, Idaho. There were no signs the death was a suicide and no trauma to indicate the cause of death, said Rich Stephens, chief deputy for the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office.

An autopsy was performed and investigators are awaiting results of toxicology tests, Stephens said. He said there was evidence at the scene indicating drugs may have been a factor in the teen’s death.