In brief: Woman attacked by her own pit bull
A woman was taken to a hospital by ambulance Tuesday after she was attacked by her pit bull in her north Spokane home.
The 28-year-old woman, whose name hasn’t been released, tried to break up a fight between her German shepherd and pit bull about 5 p.m. when the pit bull attacked her, said Spokane police Officer Jennifer DeRuwe.
The woman suffered “severe lacerations” to her arms and face, DeRuwe said. The woman’s mother called 911 after her daughter called her. A neighbor also called 911 after spotting the woman bloody and sitting on her front porch in the 3300 block of Northwest Boulevard, DeRuwe said.
The pit bull was taken by SpokAnimal employees, according to police.
Woman sought on felony warrants
A 20-year-old Spokane woman wanted on four felony warrants has a reward offered for her capture.
Jennea A. Hendrickson is wanted for second-degree taking a motor vehicle without its owner’s permission, first-degree theft, forgery and possession of a controlled substance, according to Crime Stoppers of the Inland Northwest.
Her past convictions include driving on a suspended license and theft.
She may be living at 15821 E. 4th Avenue or 2428 N. Washington St. and could be driving a green 1996 Honda Accord with Washington license plates, according to Crime Stoppers.
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information that results in her arrest. Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (509) 327-5111 or (800) 222-TIPS. Callers do not have to give their name to collect the reward.
Hayden
Semi hit by train; driver uninjured
A driver of a semi pulling a flatbed trailer crossed railroad tracks north of Hayden Tuesday morning despite an oncoming train.
Steve Howze, 40, who was driving the truck for a Fontana, Calif., company, was not injured when the empty flatbed trailer was pummeled by a five-car Union Pacific train that was traveling about 25 mph, Kootenai County sheriff’s spokesman Capt. Ben Wolfinger said.
“According to a witness, the semi pulled up to the stop sign at the railroad crossing, stopped and then proceeded across the tracks just prior to being struck,” Wolfinger said.
The train engineer had begun to blow his whistle 34 seconds prior to impact at 11:22 a.m., Wolfinger said.
The semi-trailer was considered a total loss and the collision caused about $5,000 damage to the train engine.
Howze received a citation for failure to stop and yield at a railroad crossing, Wolfinger said.
Moscow, Idaho
Teacher charged with sexual abuse
A former Idaho teacher and camp counselor was arrested on sexual misconduct charges over the weekend involving young males, and police are concerned there might be more alleged victims.
Timothy Andrew Kellis, 38, is charged with one count of sexual abuse of a child and two counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16 years old, said Idaho State Police Lt. Charlie Spencer.
Kellis is currently a teacher in Tumwater, Wash., police said. He taught at Highland High School in Craigmont, Idaho, from 2001 to 2006, police said. Kellis worked at Camp Grizzly in Latah County during the summer of 2007, and may have worked as a camp counselor during prior years, police said.
Kellis was arrested in Moscow on Saturday, Spencer said. He was booked into Latah County Jail where he is being held on $25,000 bail.
Police are asking that anyone who has additional information concerning Kellis to call (208) 799-5020.
Spokane County
Fugitive apprehended at Spokane airport
A Montana man fleeing a prison sentence for drug offenses was captured at the Spokane International Airport Monday afternoon as he waited for a flight to Bangkok.
Police found $12,000 cash on Gregary Lee Caputo, 43, who was sentenced in Ravalli County, Mont., to five years in prison for criminal production or manufacture of dangerous drugs, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. The judge gave Caputo a two-day furlough before his sentence began and the man fled, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s deputies arrested Caputo at the airport about 4:30 p.m. Monday.
SPOKANE VALLEY
Ecology open house to address river, dams
The Washington Department of Ecology is hosting an open house at 5 p.m. Tuesday on water quality in the Spokane River related to four dams owned by Avista Corp.
As part of the dams’ federal relicensing process, Ecology must issue a 401 Water Quality Certification, which outlines the actions Avista must take to protect water quality from adverse impacts related to the dams’ operations. The draft certification is available for review at www.ecy.wa.gov/ programs/wq/ferc/draft- wq_certs.html.
The open house takes place at CenterPlace at Mirabeau, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley.
Region
Looking for teens who make difference
The Vox, a monthly newspaper produced by area teens, is looking for suggestions for “Five graduates who will change the world,” a feature story to run in the final Vox edition of the school year.
The story will feature five Spokane-area high school graduates who are aiming to improve our world.
We’re not necessarily looking for the college-bound student with the perfect grade-point average. There are a variety of ways a graduate might go out and change the world, such as determination, drive, overcoming adversity, helping others, or going above and beyond the call of duty.
This isn’t a contest; it’s a story. Please send your suggestions to help us write it by April 25 to Vox adviser Erin Daniels at erind@spokesman.com or 999 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane, WA 99210. Nominees must be graduating from a Spokane-area high school this year; Vox staff members are ineligible.