Train smashes abandoned pickup
A pickup parked on railroad tracks underneath the Sullivan Road overpass was smashed by a moving train Sunday, seriously damaging the truck and leaving Spokane Valley Police officers scratching their heads.
The Burlington Northern Santa Fe train was headed west when an engineer saw the 1999 Nissan parked on the tracks. The diesel engine crashed into the Nissan, sending the car flailing off the tracks, said Sgt. Dave Reagan.
Officers said the car was unoccupied, though the registered owner of the car had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
Officers impounded the car, which received “significant damage to the right front” of the vehicle, Reagan said.
Teens charged with EVMS burglary
Two teenagers who said they broke into East Valley Middle School looking for warmth and food were taken to the Juvenile Detention Center by Spokane Valley Police on felony counts of second-degree burglary.
The two suspects had broken out of a secure child-receiving center in Spokane earlier and made their way to the Valley, Reagan said. After visiting a friend, they broke into the school, knowing there would be food inside.
The two teens used a metal fence post and a trash can to break off doorknobs to get inside the school. When officers arrived after an alarm sounded, they announced their presence and the teens took off running.
Officers caught up with them and then searched the school for other suspects. They found none.
Burglar knocked back whiskey, took computers
A burglar ransacked a North Argonne business, stealing computers and enjoying some drinks while he was at it.
Sometime after 6:30 p.m. Wednesday somebody pried open the door to Gordon Finch Homes at 2901 N. Argonne Road and trashed the offices, Reagan sad.
While inside, the burglar helped himself to a “fair quantity of whiskey” in a cabinet, Reagan said.
The burglar left with several computers and monitors, he said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS line at 242-TIPS.
Female shopper arrested at Macy’s
A woman appeared to have more than enough cash to pay for the items she allegedly tried to steal Saturday from Macy’s in the Spokane Valley Mall.
Autumn Duczek tried to leave the store with several items worth $275 she hadn’t paid for in a Macy’s shopping bag. Security staff stopped her and also found four lotion testers the suspect stole from the cosmetics department, Reagan said.
Spokane Valley Police officer Brian Hert went to the store and arrested the woman on a charge of second-degree theft. After a search of the suspect’s purse, Hert said the woman had enough cash – $400 – to pay for all the items she had stolen.
Duczek was booked into the Spokane County Jail and officers kept a set of wire cutters for evidence, Reagan said.