In brief: Sandpoint teen dies in skiing accident
A 15-year-old skier died Tuesday in an accident at Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Sandpoint.
About noon, a group of snowboarders came across the skier, who had fallen into a tree well, an area of loose snow frequently hidden by low-lying branches, according to a Schweitzer news release.
The ski patrol found the boy about 15 minutes later. He was unresponsive, and ski patrol members began performing CPR. He was taken to the resort’s first aid area, where a doctor from Bonner General Hospital determined the victim had died.
The Bonner County Sheriff’s Office is investigating. Early indications are that the death was an accident, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The teen, who was not identified, is a resident of Sandpoint, police said.
Staff reports
Man hospitalized after shooting
An 18-year-old Spokane man was in critical condition Tuesday night after a shooting.
Spokane police received a call to the 1100 block of West Frederick Avenue about 8:45 p.m. Witnesses told police that at least three men fired multiple shots into a crowd of young people congregating in the street in front of a home. After the victim was hit, his friends loaded him into a car to take him to a Spokane hospital. As they sped toward downtown, a patrol unit pulled the car over, said Lt. Joe Walker. The patrol car then followed the car to the hospital.
It was unclear Tuesday whether the victim was the intended target, Walker said. The home also was struck by several bullets, he said.
Police called in a K-9 unit to track the suspects, but an increase of foot traffic in the neighborhood due to a popular holiday light display made it difficult for the dogs to track the scent, Walker said.
Staff reports
Family’s stolen truck, some contents found
A truck stolen from a family traveling from North Dakota to Western Washington was found at a Spokane Valley apartment complex.
A resident in the area of Sprague Avenue and Tschirley Road recognized the truck from news reports, police said Tuesday.
Dewey and Sharon Brown and their 7-year-old daughter, Cami, had stopped at the La Quinta Suites, 3800 N. Sullivan Road, on Sunday night. The next morning their truck and U-Haul trailer were gone.
Officers seized the pickup Tuesday and had it towed to the sheriff’s vehicle processing station, where it will be combed for evidence. The trailer and some of its contents were recovered Monday, but many items, including Cami’s doll, are still missing.
The family said Tuesday they were overwhelmed by support from strangers, including several who bought Cami dolls.
“Out of something so horrible, we’re finding good things, too. It’s a very great community,” said Sharon Brown. “My daughter’s going to have Christmas.”
Meghann M. Cuniff