In brief: Robbery suspect marks 43rd in jail

Tue., March 11, 2008

The Spokesman-Review

Spokane police arrested a man suspected in two South Hill robberies that occurred minutes apart Sunday, which turned out to be the suspect’s 43rd birthday.

Dawayne D. Butler spent the rest of the day in the Spokane County Jail after he was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery, police said.

The first incident began at 5:10 p.m. Sunday when a man entered the Rite Aid at 810 E. 29th Ave. and demanded money. When the store manager interrupted, the robber fled.

Twenty-five minutes later, a man robbed the Shopko at 4515 S. Regal St., slapping a clerk, Officer Brian Eckersley said in a news release.

Witnesses near the Shopko called police to report they found some money and checks in the street. A police officer then saw a man driving away near 57th Avenue and Perry Street.

The man, who was identified as Butler, was stopped and arrested.

Officers recovered most of the stolen money and checks with help from the witnesses, Eckersley said.

Power’s back on at VA center

Full power has been restored at the Spokane Veterans Affairs Medical Center, which was forced to cancel some appointments Friday because of a short in the hospital’s high-voltage electrical distribution system.

After the short occurred Thursday evening, the main building of the medical center, 4815 N Assembly St., used reserve power for a couple of hours until electricity was restored to the wards and nursing home, according to acting associate director Cheryl Wood.

But primary care, ophthalmology, audiology and dental clinics were closed Friday, forcing the cancellation of appointments for about 200 patients. Power to those clinics was restored by 4:40 p.m. Friday. All areas of the medical center are now open.

Sex offender moves downtown

The Spokane Police Department announced that a level 3 sex offender has moved downtown.

David Werstein, 44, was convicted of first-degree rape with a deadly weapon in Lewis County, Officer Jennifer DeRuwe said. The victim was a 13-year-old girl.

Werstein will be supervised by Robert Bromps, a Washington Community Corrections officer, police said.

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