Teens charged with felonies for defacing concrete
Five Spokane Valley teens have been referred to Spokane County Juvenile Court after a witness reported them to police for defacing freshly-poured concrete in the 13200 block of East Skyview Friday afternoon.
The suspects, four 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old, were referred on felony malicious mischief charges after city officials and a concrete contractor estimated the cost to replace the concrete entryway at $1,100.
Officer Jerad Kiehn went to the scene about 3:30 p.m. Friday after the witness reported the teens had written initials and messages in the fresh concrete, and two of them had stamped footprints into its surface.
Two of the suspects remained with the witness until Kiehn arrived, and the others returned to the scene shortly afterward.
The officer determined that the city of Spokane Valley had contracted to repair the driveway and listed the city as the victim in the incident. A decision to charge the teens was delayed until the cost of the damage could be determined.
On Tuesday, a city of Spokane Valley representative affirmed that charges should be pursued and Kiehn forwarded the case to the juvenile prosecutor for consideration.
Women arrested in vehicle prowling case
Two Spokane Valley women were arrested early Tuesday after a witness identified them as the suspects in a 4 a.m. vehicle break-in at a South Pines apartment complex.
The witness told Officer Tim Jones that he heard banging noises outside his apartment at 915 S. Pines. He looked out and saw a car with a smashed window and a suspect inside.
He confronted the female suspect who jumped into newer red Honda driven by a heavyset woman with dirty blond hair and glasses. The witness said he memorized the license number and noted the plate was secured with a gold trim piece.
Jones determined the registered owner’s address was 12011 E. Fairview Ave., and drove there. He found the Honda parked in front of the home and noted that the hood was warm as if the car had recently been driven.
The homeowner said his daughter had been driving the car and summoned 39-year-old Sherri Ann Melton to the door. He also indicated that he had a tenant in the basement, 26-year-old Misty E. Hall.
After conducting interviews of the women, Jones had the witness come to the home. He identified Melton as the driver and Hall as the suspect he had seen inside the victim vehicle.
Jones arrested Misty Hall for vehicle prowling and Sherri Melton for criminal conspiracy. He also served a felony Department of Corrections warrant charging Hall with escape from community custody.
The officer released Melton after she signed a criminal citation. He drove Hall to Pine Lodge Corrections Center in Medical Lake for booking on the DOC warrant.