Hearing in motorist’s robbery set

A court hearing is scheduled Friday for a woman accused of kidnapping and robbing another woman last October when the alleged victim stopped her car for a traffic light.

A co-defendant already has pleaded guilty to forcing his way into Karen McAllister’s car on Oct. 20 while McAllister was driving home from work.

Court documents say the incident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. at the corner of Sprague Avenue and Freya Street.

McAllister told police that a woman jumped in front of her car, preventing her from driving away when the light turned green. Then, according to court documents, the man forced his way into the back seat of McAllister’s car and the woman got into the front seat.

Documents say the intruders pretended the man had a gun in his pocket and forced McAllister to drive them to various locations and give them money.

McAllister was crying and shaking with fear when her ordeal ended nearly two hours later in downtown Spokane, police reported. She spotted a police car in a parking lot and deliberately sped through a red light.

Washington State Patrol Trooper Bryant Blake stopped McAllister. Spokane police Officer Dustin Howe, who had been parked in the same lot, quickly joined Blake in arresting Kimberly J. Veitenheimer, 23, and Timothy M. Steggall, 27.

Steggall and Veitenheimer appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the officers said.

Veitenheimer is to have a plea-change hearing Friday if a judge lifts an order that placed her case on hold for a mental evaluation and treatment. Court documents don’t give details of the possible plea but show Veitenheimer currently is charged with second-degree kidnapping and second-degree robbery.

Steggall faced the same charges but pleaded guilty last month to unlawful imprisonment and second-degree robbery. Spokane County Superior Court Judge Maryann Moreno sentenced him to a maximum-standard year in jail.

Steggall made his plea after doctors at Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake found him mentally competent to stand trial.

Eastern State doctors diagnosed Veitenheimer with chronic paranoid schizophrenia, and Superior Court Judge Robert Austin sent her back to the state mental hospital in February for treatment intended to make her fit for trial.

In court documents, McAllister said the intruders claimed Steggall had a gun in his pocket and compelled her to drive to her mother’s house for money. Although Steggall hovered near her, McAllister managed on a second attempt to pass a note to her mother indicating she needed help and wasn’t really trying to assist a down-on-their-luck couple as her mother was told.

McAllister’s mother called police. Meanwhile, according to court documents, Steggall and Veitenheimer still wanted money so McAllister suggested going to the South Hill apartment of her friend, Eric Spencer. McAllister was able to explain her plight to Spencer, who gave the suspects $10 and got in the car with them.

Spencer told police that Steggall asked for more money and a bank card while insisting that McAllister drive him and Veitenheimer to a friend’s home downtown.