Burglar leaves pharmacy with empty pockets

A burglar spent a fair amount of time breaking into an East Sprague Avenue pharmacy early Saturday, but apparently escaped with nothing to show for his efforts.

Officers received an alarm from Halpins, 11406 E. Sprague Ave., about 4:45 a.m. Saturday said Spokane Valley police spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan. When they entered the store with an employee, they discovered a burglar had entered through a skylight and rifled drawers inside the pharmacy.

Unknown to the thief, the business does not store anything of value in the drawers when closed, so the suspect had to climb back out the skylight empty-handed.

Anyone with information about the break-in is encouraged to call the Spokane Valley police at 242-TIPS.

Tossed egg, collision land man in jail

Horseplay in a vehicle will cost a 20-year-old Spokane man after he was arrested not only for assaulting a pedestrian with a tossed egg, but also for reckless driving after he crashed into another car during his attempted getaway.

The officer investigating the crash also issued James Robert Tillett, 3215 E. Fifth Ave., a $538 infraction for failing to provide proof of insurance, said Spokane Valley police spokesman. Sgt. Dave Reagan.

The incident began about 4:45 p.m. Sunday when a woman called 911 and reported she had been struck by an egg that was thrown by the occupants of a white car. She provided the license plate of the suspect’s 1992 Isuzu and then gave regular updates as she followed the vehicle.

Officer Ryan Smith caught up to the woman just after she lost sight of the suspects at 13th Avenue and Julia Street. The officer kept checking the area and found the Isuzu at the scene of a collision at 12th Avenue and Myrtle Street.

Smith interviewed the occupants of the Isuzu and determined that Tillett had thrown the egg that struck the 25-year-old woman. The officer saw an empty egg carton on the floor of the Isuzu.

He arrested Tillett for fourth-degree assault, a misdemeanor.

Spokane police Officer Paul Carpenter determined that Tillett, northbound on Myrtle at excessive speed, collided with an eastbound 2003 Subaru driven by Yuriy M. Luts, 52, of Spokane. Although no one was hurt in the collision, both vehicles had to be towed.

Officer Smith booked Tillett into jail on both the assault and reckless driving misdemeanors.

Traffic stop leads to drug arrest

Spokane Valley police arrested a 42-year-old woman Monday night after they discovered methamphetamine, marijuana and cash in her car during a traffic stop, said Reagan.

Officers Jeff Getchell and Sean Walter were northbound on Freya Street when they were passed by a southbound Chevrolet Beretta that had a loud muffler. They followed and ran a registration check that showed the car’s female owner had a suspended license.

They stopped the car in the 3800 block of East Broadway Avenue and confirmed that the woman driving was the registered owner, 42-year-old Donna Marie Constantineau, 7407 E. Cataldo Ave.

She immediately said that she had no insurance and that she knew her license is suspended.

The officers arrested her for third-degree driving while license suspended. In a subsequent search of the car, they discovered in her purse more than $2,000 cash, two syringes of liquid methamphetamine and a container that held five baggies of methamphetamine.

Officer Walter found a blue case inside the car that held five baggies of marijuana that were all similar in size and appeared packaged for sale. Also in the bag were a meth pipe and marijuana pipe.

The officers found $75 in cash on the front seat and another $36 in cash in a pocket inside the purse. They also heard Constantineau’s cellular phone ringing throughout the traffic stop.

Constantineau was booked into Spokane County Jail on felony counts of possession of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana, both with intent to deliver.

A misdemeanor count of driving while license suspended is pending.

Driver arrested on meth charge

Officer Jeff Thurman was patrolling the area of 7200 East Trent Avenue about 10:15 a.m. Monday when he spotted a 1986 GMC Jimmy being driven with a shattered windshield.

He stopped the truck and the male driver, 39-year-old Anthony D. Bell, 2812 E. Sinto Ave., said his license was suspended.

Thurman confirmed the suspension and arrested Bell for third-degree driving while license suspended, then searched him and found a baggie of methamphetamine in his pants pocket.

Bell was booked into the Spokane County Jail on a felony count of possession of methamphetamine, said Reagan.