Spokane Valley police arrested a 29-year-old man who allegedly kidnapped his estranged girlfriend at knifepoint Tuesday evening and took her to a Motel 6, where she escaped four hours later when he fell asleep.

An officer found Christopher Eugene Williams at the motel later Tuesday and booked him into jail on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping and second-degree domestic assault.

Williams had the woman’s cell phone when he was arrested, and his knife was found in her car, according to court documents.

Williams allegedly got into the 21-year-old woman’s car and threatened her with the knife. He claimed she went with him willingly but acknowledged “she was afraid when she thought he had a knife,” court documents say.

A District Court judge issued an order Wednesday forbidding Williams from having contact with the woman, who said she is pregnant with Williams’ child.

The woman told police she had separated from Williams because of abusive behavior.

– John Craig

Gay rights repeal campaign subject of meeting tonight

Supporters of Referendum 65, which seeks to repeal a new state law extending anti-discrimination protections to people based on sexual orientation, will sponsor a town hall meeting at 7 tonight in the basement conference room at the Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main.

The meeting, sponsored by Choice of the People, will include discussions by state Sen. Brad Benson and state Rep. Lynn Schindler.

Sponsors have until June 6 to collect 112,440 valid signatures to qualify Referendum 65 for the November ballot.

– Jim Camden

Stevens County

Former foster mother enters not guilty plea

A former foster mother has entered a plea of not guilty to a felony charge of mistreating a foster boy.

Stevens County court documents say that Carole Ann DeLeon, 51, withheld food and water from an 8-year-old boy.

DeLeon, a former paralegal with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Spokane, and her daughter, Christina Burns-DeLeon, have been the subject of an ongoing investigation into the death of another boy, 7-year-old Tyler DeLeon.

No charges have been filed in Tyler’s death.

Court documents allege that both boys failed to grow and gain weight at a normal rate during their time in DeLeon’s care, but that the surviving boy began to thrive after leaving DeLeon’s home in October 2004.

DeLeon entered her plea Tuesday in a Stevens County courtroom. Her trial is scheduled for October. If convicted of second-degree criminal mistreatment, DeLeon could face five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

– Benjamin Shors