Former bar employee arrested on robbery charge
Officers were called to the Goodtymes Bar & Grill at 9214 E. Mission Ave. Sunday after an employee reported that a former employee had punched him in the head twice and then taken his bicycle.
Officers determined the suspect’s address, and went there to contact him. Officers saw the bicycle in the backyard, but other tenants at the home said the occupant was not there.
The officers cautioned the residents that the occupant, Richard M. Sullivan, 31, was wanted for a violent robbery and that he also had an outstanding Department of Corrections warrant out for his arrest. Shortly after the officers left, Sullivan called and reported that he was ready to surrender.
Officers Rob King and Darrell Stidham returned to the home and arrested the suspect without incident. The stolen bicycle was returned to its owner.
Sullivan 10820 E. Valleyway Ave., was booked into the Spokane County Jail on a felony count of first-degree robbery, said Spokane Valley police spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.
Transient arrested in beating
Police arrested a 44-year-old transient last Thursday night for the robbery and assault of a Spokane Valley man who was beaten so severely he could not remember his last name or how he drove himself to the hospital.
Officers received a call from hospital staff about 8:10 p.m. Thursday and arrived to find the victim with multiple broken bones in his face and eye socket and bruises on his chest, said Spokane Valley Police spokesman Reagan.
He eventually was able to tell them that he had stopped at Walgreen’s at Sprague Avenue and Pines Road and was confronted by a male transient who asked him for money and to use the victim’s cellular phone.
The 28-year-old victim referred the suspect to a day labor business nearby and started to walk around the suspect to enter the store. He said he was struck in the face by something, but could not say what it was or how many times he was struck.
He awoke inside his pickup which was parked in the hospital lot. His cash and driver’s license were missing.
When the victim described the suspect, Officer Dale Wells recalled being advised of an aggressive panhandler who had been bothering people in the area of Sprague Avenue and University Road earlier Thursday. The general descriptions matched.
Wells prepared a photo montage and the victim immediately identified Donald L. Townsend as his attacker. Meanwhile, Sgt. Matt Lyons had located and detained Townsend in a camp in the area of Sprague Avenue and Gillis Road.
An interview of Townsend led to probable cause for his arrest. He was booked into the Spokane County Jail on felony counts of first-degree robbery and second-degree assault.
Driver arrested after short chase
A 27-year-old Spokane Valley man faces a variety of criminal charges after he fled the scene of an apparent domestic violence assault early Friday and ended up crashing into a house, said Spokane Valley Police spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.
The incident began about 1:50 a.m. when Officer Dale Wells was parked near the intersection of Pines Road and Cataldo Avenue completing paperwork. He saw a female walking south on Pines and moments later heard screaming and loud banging noises.
He drove toward the sounds and saw a man drive out of a business parking lot in a reckless manner, make a U-turn on Pines and then drive through a red light at Broadway Avenue. At the same time, he saw the female walking near the business.
Wells attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver accelerated away at a speed greater than 70 mph in the 35 mph zone.
The suspect drove through a stop sign at Alki Avenue and Bowdish Road and then lost control and crashed into a home in the 600 block of North Glenn Road.
Justin T. McDowell, 3418 N. Ella Road, was transported to a medical facility after paramedics extricated him from his 2001 Hyundai coupe. He was treated for an apparent dislocated hip.
Wells identified the driver as McDowell and could smell alcohol on his breath. Meanwhile, Officer Tim Jones contacted the female on North Pines and noted that she had marks and injuries consistent with having been assaulted.
Paramedics removing the injured driver from the car found a three-bladed throwing star in his back pocket.
Wells went to the hospital and arrested McDowell for attempting to elude a police vehicle, driving while under the influence of alcohol, driving while license suspended, fourth-degree assault and possession of a dangerous weapon.
Store clerk assaulted during beer robbery
A Spokane Valley grocery employee suffered minor injuries early last Thursday when he was assaulted by a suspect who stole a case of beer about 3:40 a.m., said Spokane Valley Police spokesman. Sgt. Dave Reagan.
Officers were summoned to the Albertsons store at 13606 E. 32nd Avenue by the employee who said the intoxicated suspect had attempted to purchase beer and was upset when told it couldn’t be sold after 2 a.m.
The employee cautioned another worker about the incident. While they were speaking, the suspect ran out of the store with the two 30-can packs of Keystone beer.
The suspect threw the beer into the back of an older white Toyota pickup that had Washington license plates. Another white male in his late teens was behind the wheel.
After depositing the beer, the suspect turned on the employee and began punching him in the face. The suspect attempted to knee the employee as well, but the victim was able to block the blows.
The suspect eventually threw the employee to the pavement, dove into the bed of the pickup and tried to cover its license plate as the driver sped away.
The suspect was described as a white male in his 20’s, about 6 feet tall and 200 pounds with a stocky appearance. The man had dirty blond hair beneath a black baseball cap. He wore a black shirt and khaki shorts.
The pickup’s license plate was similar to A71983V or A71983B. The white pickup also had a blue stripe running down the sides from front to back.
Anyone with information about this robbery or the suspects involved is asked to call the Spokane Valley Police at 242-TIPS.