Recent robberies, assaults reported

Three people in Spokane Valley have been robbed of their wallets during the past several days, officials reported Tuesday.

A 19-year-old Spokane Valley man was robbed of his wallet and cellular phone early Sunday by two men who came out of a yard in the area of 33rd Avenue and Glenn Road, said Spokane Valley Police spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.

The victim told officers he was out for a walk about 4:30 a.m. and was talking to a woman on his cell phone. The two suspects came out of a backyard and asked if he had any drugs.

The victim said he told them he did not and kept walking. Although he tried ignoring the two, they followed him and eventually threw him to the ground, beat and kicked him and took the wallet and phone.

He last saw them running eastbound on 33rd. He described the suspects as both about 5-feet 10-inches with medium builds and short hair. He said one was Hispanic in appearance and the other was a white male.

The victim suffered scrapes and cuts on his face and his left eye was left swollen.

The second victim was knocked out while leaving the Puerto Vallarta Restaurant, 6915 E. Sprague Ave., on Sunday night, Reagan said. When he woke up, his wallet and cell phone were gone.

The victim was hit over the head after he got to his car on the north side of the restaurant about 9:30 p.m., Reagan said. He woke up lying on the pavement next to his car.

The victim remembers seeing three men, but was unable to provide a description for officers, Reagan said.

The third victim, a 17-year-old Spokane Valley resident, told officers late Sunday that he was robbed of his wallet as he walked home from his job at the East Sprague Avenue ShopKo, Reagan said.

The victim said he walks home southbound on Blake Road about 10:30 p.m. each night he works. Starting Thursday night, a silver Ford Focus has sped past him each night and an occupant in the car yells a sexual slur at him.

On Sunday, the car stopped just beyond him and a male got out of the passenger seat and knocked him down and stole his wallet. The man never said anything and got back into the car which was last seen eastbound on Fourth Avenue. The victim said he could see two other men in the car with the suspect.

He added that the Ford was a four-door hardtop model that still had “Gus Johnson” signs in the license plate holders. It also had a spoiler on the back.

The suspect was a white male who was about 5-feet 7-inches tall and 200 pounds. He had brown hair, a heavy build and was wearing a red Nike baseball cap over a black “doo-rag.” He also wore a black T-shirt and denim shorts.

Anyone with information regarding these robberies or the vehicle or suspects involved is asked to call Spokane Valley police at 242-TIPS.

Teens arrested in assault of girl

Two West Valley students accused of assaulting a girl while stealing a safe from her home were arrested Monday.

The boys, one 15 and the other 16, were each booked on first-degree robbery charges at Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center, Reagan said.

On Monday, the teens allegedly went to a home in the 2400 block of North Park Road about 2 p.m. and asked the 14-year-old girl who lives there to retrieve their bandanas, which they had left behind, Reagan said. When the girl returned, one of the boys was holding her mother’s safe. She attempted to stop the boys, but was elbowed in the face.

The girl knew the boys from school, Reagan said. A resource deputy at West Valley High School was able to help officers locate the boys.

They told officers where the safe had been dumped, Reagan said. Officers were able to recover documents and several hundred dollars worth of coins and jewelry.

Men arrested on drug, escape charges

Officers arrested a pair of men on drug, weapons and escape charges Thursday night after drugs and an altered rifle were discovered in their van during a suspicious vehicle stop on North Pines Road, said Reagan.

Officer Shannon McCrillis was in the area of 2000 N. Pines Road about 6:15 p.m. when he noticed a van parked away from other customers’ cars at an area restaurant. Two men were getting in and out of the van and working under the hood.

While engaging the two in conversation, he spied an open beer on the driver’s floorboard. The owner of the van, 38-year-old Daniel R. Coy, said that he hadn’t been driving because his license was suspended. He added that neither the other man nor two female passengers had a valid driver’s license.

The second man volunteered that he was Darrold C. Matlock, 43, 1824 N. Balfour Road. He too denied driving the van, but said he might have a civil bench warrant for his arrest.

He did indeed, as well as a Department of Corrections warrant for escape from community custody. McCrillis placed him under arrest, handcuffed him and had him sit on the curb. A second officer arrived, and they began to search the van.

However, Matlock slipped one hand from his handcuffs and took off running. McCrillis chased him through heavy traffic on Pines Road and tackled and recuffed him.

When the officer returned to the van, he discovered a baggie of methamphetamine on the ground where Coy had been standing. He also discovered a glass pipe and more meth inside Coy’s backpack inside the van.

He arrested Coy and discovered a dozen hydrocodone pills inside his shirt pocket.

Also inside the van, McCrillis found a .22-caliber rifle that had its barrel shortened to approximately 12 inches. The serial number had been scraped off.

The officer determined that Coy had possessed the unlawfully-modified rifle and that he was a convicted felon as well.

He drove both men to the Spokane County Jail and booked Matlock for second-degree escape and on his two warrants. He booked Coy for possession of methamphetamine, possession of hydrocodone and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.

At the property room, McCrillis also discovered in Coy’s backpack numerous pieces of Idaho state identification in different people’s names. Investigation of that matter is ongoing.