Stolen property, gun recovered in apartment raid

Police property crimes detectives raided an apartment on the 12200 block of East Fourth Avenue on Wednesday afternoon and recovered items stolen in a recent residential burglary. The Sheriff’s Office SWAT team made entry into the home because the suspect was considered high risk, said Spokane Valley Police spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.

Arrested was 22-year-old Benjamin P. Ellis, who has prior convictions during the last nine years for attempting to elude police vehicles, possession of stolen property, unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of controlled substance. On Wednesday, Ellis was booked for possession of stolen property and unlawful possession of a firearm after detectives found and seized both a gun and property stolen in a residential burglary committed Jan. 27.

Police recovered some of the stolen property earlier in the week when they made a traffic stop and discovered stolen items in the vehicle, said Reagan. Additional criminal charges are likely as the investigation continues.

Driving, eating leads to woman’s arrest on drug charge

It was an ice cream cone that led to the arrest of a 23-year-old Spokane woman on drug charges Monday night. Officer Andy Stockman was patrolling the area of Sprague and Mullan about 10:30 p.m. when he saw a vehicle pull out of a parking lot and drift across three northbound traffic lanes without signaling.

He stopped the drive to determine a cause and she blamed trying to eat an ice cream cone while driving for her lack of signals, Reagan said. Stockman checked her driver’s license and learned it was suspended and that she had two outstanding warrants charging her with third-degree driving with a suspended license.

Brenda A. Mecum, 1300 W. Boone Ave., was arrested on the warrants and a fresh count of driving while suspended. Methamphetamine and related paraphernalia were found when her car was searched, resulting in an additional felony charge of drug possession.

Man charged with taking girlfriend’s car

A man flashed the high-beams on his stolen ride at a passing patrol car, then waved to the officer as he drove by.

Officers Jason Karnitz and Travis Smith were in the area of Calvin and Cataldo about 7 p.m. Monday looking for a suspect in a domestic violence incident, said Reagan. As Karnitz drove south on Calvin, Nicholas Stanley Gardner, 9800 E. Sixth Ave., flashed the headlights on the parked Pontiac Grand Am he had allegedly stolen from his former girlfriend.

Karnitz ran the license plates on the Pontiac and discovered it was a reported stolen. Officers checked the car and discovered that the in-dash stereo had been removed, and that there were several other parts of automotive stereo systems on the back seat. Gardner also had several pawn slips in his pockets, Reagan said.

The 26-year-old suspect was booked on a felony count of second-degree taking a motor vehicle without owner’s permission.

Couple in car booked on drug charges

An Idaho man and Spokane woman were arrested early Monday after a deputy found them only partially clothed and in possession of cocaine and heroin.

Deputy Andy Stockman was patrolling Upriver Drive about 1:30 a.m. when he spotted a Dodge Intrepid parked with the engine running and driver’s door standing open in the entryway for Boulder Beach, said Reagan. The car was not in a parking spot and was blocking the drive. The deputy saw the male driver and female passenger, both only partially dressed, passed out inside the car.

He turned off the car and then roused both. The woman was identified as 54-year-old Rita Renee Rogers, 4300 E. Third Ave., who had an outstanding Department of Corrections arrest warrant charging her with escape from community custody. The male driver was identified as 45-year-old Jeffrey W. Davis of Hayden Lake.

Stockman had Davis exit the car and conducted a search incident to Rogers’ arrest on the warrant, Reagan said. Above the driver’s visor he found a small baggie of powdered cocaine. He determined it belonged to Davis and arrested him for possession of a controlled substance.

The deputy also found a zippered pouch containing many new and used syringes, plus a small chunk of tar heroin and a chunk of rock cocaine. He determined they belonged to Rogers and arrested her on two counts of possession of controlled substance.