Alert officer nabs car theft suspect

Officers arrested a 26-year-old Spokane Valley man Tuesday morning after one of them recognized the suspect as he drove a stolen Honda southbound on University about 11 a.m.

Brian Hert was patrolling the area of Fourth Avenue and University Road when he saw an approaching Honda Accord and recognized JJ Quick as the driver. The officer has arrested Quick in the past, said Spokane Valley police spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.

Hert turned to follow the Honda while checking Quick’s driver’s license status on his mobile computer. He saw the Honda go east on Third, but the car had disappeared by the time he reached the intersection.

A nearby pedestrian pointed to Third and Pierce where the Honda had been abandoned. It was pushed up against a shrub and still running, and Quick and another man were running away.

Hert removed a shaved key from the ignition, and moments later, was advised that the woman who owned the Honda had just reported it stolen from her apartment complex parking lot at 12400 E. Mansfield Ave.

Officers flooded the area and Sgt. John Nowels located Quick hiding on an upstairs apartment landing not far from the abandoned Honda. Nowels and Hert took him into custody. They learned the name of the fleeing passenger and contacted him. He was interviewed and released.

Quick was booked into the Spokane County Jail on a felony count of possession of a stolen vehicle. Officer Hert placed eight shaved keys in police property as evidence.

Computer equipment stolen from school

A thief entered a classroom at North Pines Middle School overnight Monday and stole computer equipment, said Reagan.

Principal Gordon Grassi told Officer Mark Benner that the teacher assigned to that room had secured it about 5 p.m. Monday and discovered the thefts upon arrival about 7 a.m. Tuesday.

The suspect apparently wrote a note and left diagrams on the classroom’s blackboard, then broke the locking mechanisms from the desk where the equipment was stored. The suspect may have entered the room when it and several others were unlocked by janitors for cleaning.

Stolen was an Epson projector, a Hewlett-Packard monitor, an Intel Core 2 computer, an Aver Vision document camera and a pair of Altec Lansing speakers. Total value of the property was estimated at $3,400.

Anyone with information regarding this theft is encouraged to call the Spokane Valley police at 242-TIPS or Crime Check at 456-2233.

Traffic stop ends with drug arrest

Officers arrested a 19-year-old Spokane man early Tuesday after stopping him for traffic infractions and finding methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia in his clothing.

Officer Tim Jones was eastbound on Appleway from Vista Road about 1:15 a.m. when he spotted a red passenger car that was also eastbound, but at speed estimated at 50 mph in the 35 mph zone.

The license plate illuminator was inoperative and the driver made an abrupt right turn at Bowdish Road without signaling. Jones stopped the car.

He identified the driver as George Arthur Durgin, 5700 S. Rebecca St., and learned that the man’s driver’s license was suspended for an unpaid ticket.

Jones arrested Durgin and in a search of his clothing located an electronic drug scale containing residue. He also found a glass drug pipe as well as two smaller baggies containing a crystal substance.

In a second pocket, the officer found two zippered baggies containing about two grams of methamphetamine.

Jones was booked on charges of third-degree driving while license suspended and possession of methamphetamine.