Judge tosses parts of jail fight lawsuit

A federal judge this week dismissed parts of a multimillion-dollar wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of Benites Sichiro against Spokane County and its employees.

Sichiro died of complications from a wound to his liver after three separate fights with Spokane County jailers in 2006. The jailers were attempting to restrain and move Sichiro after he exhibited alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

One jailer is accused of using a “donkey kick” to subdue Sichiro, which the family alleges killed him. The deputy says he pushed Sichiro with his foot and did not kick him, according to a 32-page order issued by U.S. District Judge Fred Van Sickle.

The judge granted several of the county’s dismissal requests, including a claim that the jailers were “deliberately indifferent to Mr. Sichiro’s need for medical care by using force to subdue him,” and a claim that they deprived Sichiro of equal protection of the law. The case is scheduled for trial in August.

John Stucke

Patrol on alert for unsafe boaters

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office marine patrol unit will be on North Idaho waterways this weekend targeting intoxicated and aggressive boaters.

The emphasis, which began Friday, will continue through Sunday. While open containers of alcohol are allowed in boats, it is illegal in Idaho to operate a vessel with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, officials said.

It is also illegal to operate a watercraft faster than 15 mph within 100 feet of another vessel. The distance is 50 feet on Lower Twin Lakes.

Sara Leaming

Pregnant woman dead before fire

Moscow, Idaho, police are investigating a possible homicide after firefighters discovered the body of a 28-year-old schoolteacher Wednesday in an apartment burned by fire.

Firefighters responded to a structure fire at 904 Vandal Drive, Apt. B, about 8 a.m., and later found the body of Sarah J. Parks inside, police said.

A preliminary autopsy revealed Parks was dead before the fire, said Lt. Paul Kwiatkowski of the Moscow Police Department. She was 20 weeks pregnant.

Parks’ husband was not home. He told police he had gone to work out and returned to find the apartment on fire. While he has not been named as a suspect, “we haven’t ruled out anybody at this time,” Kwiatkowski said.

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call (208) 883-7067 or (208) 892-3898.

Sara Leaming