Suspect held in hit-run fatality

A man suspected in the hit-and-run death of an elderly Spokane man was arrested Tuesday by Moses Lake police.

Billy D. Garner, 48, was booked in the Spokane County Jail on vehicular homicide and hit-and-run charges, both felonies.

Police say 77-year-old Don Seever was killed in September when a truck driven by Garner backed into him in a parking lot at a downtown apartment building as Seever tried to close a gate.

Witnesses told police that Garner had been kicked out of the nearby Zombie Room bar and that he was angry and revving his engine when he hit Seever.

In October, police in Yakima recovered the white 2004 Ford F-150 they believe was involved in the crash.

Garner’s passenger, 39-year-old Lisa Byrd, has an escape warrant from the Washington State Department of Corrections. Byrd is also wanted for questioning in connection with the hit-and-run.

Garner’s bail is set at $200,000.