In brief: Bank teller’s tip leads to pot bust

Dollars and scents led deputies to nearly 2 pounds of marijuana and 20 pot plants Monday.

A $2,300 cash deposit “that reeked of cannabis” prompted a banker to call the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office earlier that day, said Sgt. Dave Reagan, which led deputies to 4704 S. High Way Court in Spokane Valley.

The depositor, Daniel C. O’Bannon, 18, wasn’t home, but deputies smelled fresh marijuana at the home and obtained a search warrant after Shawn R. O’Bannon, 21, refused them entry.

Detectives found the marijuana buds and plants along with packaging materials and about 50 pills of the painkiller hydrocodone.

Shawn O’Bannon was booked into the Spokane County Jail on a charge of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, and his brother is wanted on the same charge. Daniel O’Bannon also faces a felony charge for the hydrocodone pills, Reagan said.

Meghann M. Cuniff

Spokane

Man suspected in two robberies

Police think the man wanted for robbing a Walgreens last week may be responsible for another pharmacy robbery 10 days earlier, court papers show.

Richard T. Ludvick, 23, is accused of threatening a pharmacist with a knife Wednesday at the 29th Avenue and Grand Boulevard Walgreens, then fleeing with bottles of OxyContin, according to court papers.

Joshua G. Dixon, 26, was arrested Saturday and told police he’d driven Ludvick to and from the store that night in exchange for a couple of pills, according to court documents. The men had staked out the Walgreens at Division Street and Empire a couple of hours earlier but left after a police officer asked Dixon what he was doing, police said.

Anyone with information on Ludvick’s whereabouts is asked to call (509) 242-TIPS.

Meghann M. Cuniff

Region

Snow today, but it won’t last

Less than 2 inches of snow is expected in Spokane today, but much heavier amounts could fall across North Idaho, forecasters said.

The snowfall should push away arctic air that saw temperatures drop to 7 degrees in Spokane and 9 degrees in Coeur d’Alene early Monday.

Snowfall is expected to begin early today with Spokane getting 1.4 inches; Deer Park, 2.1 inches; Coeur d’Alene, 3.5 inches; Sandpoint, 4.9 inches; St. Maries, 6.3 inches; Kellogg, 7.5 inches; and Wallace, 8.7 inches.

Temperatures should hover in the mid-20s today and rebound to the 30s Wednesday through Friday, with only a slight chance of snow Thursday in Spokane.

Mike Prager