Two charged in golf carts thefts
An alleged “joy ride” ended unhappily for two young men arrested by Post Falls police on felony charges in connection with stolen golf carts.
Joshua R. Griggs and Gregory A. Topp, both 19 and from Post Falls, admitted to detectives they were involved with the theft and vandalism of Prairie Falls Golf Course carts, Detective Rod Gunderson said Thursday.
The first golf cart was found Sunday submerged at the end of the Hauser Lake public boat dock, Gunderson said. Two other damaged carts were found Monday morning in a field northwest of Seltice Way and Chase Road.
Topps and Griggs, a past employee of the golf course, are suspected of taking the golf carts to drive around the Post Falls and Hauser Lake area. They are being charged with grand theft and malicious injury to property.
Coeur d’Alene
Drug robberies could be related
A man robbed a Coeur d’Alene Safeway pharmacy of OxyContin pills Thursday, and detectives believe the crime could be connected to other recent painkiller holdups.
Coeur d’Alene police are seeking a man who entered the Safeway at 1001 N. Fourth St. about 11:30 a.m. and handed a note to the pharmacist demanding the prescription painkiller OxyContin, Sgt. Christie Wood said.
Witnesses described the man as 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, with a round face and some facial hair, Wood said.
The man was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, dark sweatpants and sunglasses.
He fled the store with a bottle of pills and was last seen heading south on Fourth Street.
The Rite Aid at the Prairie Shopping Center in Hayden was hit with a similar robbery Monday. In that case, a man with a similar description handed an employee a note demanding OxyContin.
Detectives believe these and other recent pharmacy robberies in the Spokane area may be related.
Anyone with information about Thursday’s robbery is asked to contact the Coeur d’Alene Police Department at (208) 769-2320.
Spokane
Firefighters trace smoke to fish food
An office aquarium caused a rush-hour ruckus downtown Thursday when fish food containers caught fire from an electrical outlet below the tank.
Fire crews responded shortly after 6:15 p.m. to the U.S. Bank building at 422 W. Riverside Ave., said Battalion Chief Mike Inman, of the Spokane Fire Department. Firefighters traced the smoke to the 14th floor, where they found the smoldering fish food. Damage was minimal, and smoke was ventilated from the building.
Moscow
No UI response to retirees’ suit
The University of Idaho has yet to admit or deny allegations made by retirees who are suing the school over health insurance benefits.
An attorney representing the former employees filed the lawsuit on June 28. Retirees say the university violated early retirement agreements signed in 1999 and 2002, reneging on a deal not to make them pay health insurance premiums. The university had 20 days to respond to the lawsuit and admit or deny the claims.
But general counsel for the university didn’t file a notice of appearance in district court until Aug. 11.
UI spokeswoman Tania Thompson said the university fully intends to respond to the lawsuit at the appropriate time.
Attorney Ron Landeck is representing the retirees and said he won’t ask a judge to impose the deadline. Landeck is working with university attorneys to attain class-action status.
OLYMPIA
Biker deaths rising, WSP says
The State Patrol says there have been 48 motorcycle deaths this year in Washington.
That compares with 43 for the same time last year and 59 the year before.
The patrol says 80 percent of the fatal motorcycle crashes are the fault of the rider, and speed is the biggest killer. Troopers will be looking for riders without helmets as well as aggressive drivers and speeders in any vehicles over the Labor Day weekend.