Pedestrians hurt in hit-and-run
Two pedestrians were injured – one seriously – in a Spokane Valley hit-and-run incident in which the driver later called police to turn himself in.
A 19-year-old woman was reported to be in intensive care at a downtown Spokane hospital following the accident early Friday, and her 22-year-old male companion was treated for a leg injury. The woman suffered life-threatening injuries, said Sgt. Dave Reagan, spokesman for Spokane Valley police.
The vehicle’s license plate came off during the 3 a.m. accident in the 14200 block of East Rockwell Avenue that left the two pedestrians lying in the roadway.
At 3:45 a.m., a man called to turn himself in.
The man, 19-year-old Alex C. Walker, of Otis Orchards, was found at a convenience store on Barker Road near Interstate 90.Walker was booked into Spokane County Jail on charges of vehicular assault and hit-and-run.
Man sought in park robbery
Spokane police major crimes detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying a person who assaulted and robbed a man at Grant Park on June 17.
Police said the robber approached the victim at about 9:30 p.m. at the southeast Spokane park, punched, kicked and robbed him of his beer. The victim suffered significant injuries, including facial fractures, police said.
The robber was described as a white male, 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet tall and about 160 pounds. He wore a red baseball cap, blue denim shorts, dark shoes, and a Rhino brand or possibly Ecko Unlimited brand T-shirt. A short woman with long, blond hair was with him.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.
Dog left in car; owner charged
A black Labrador was in critical condition Friday and its owner charged with a felony after leaving the dog in a hot car at the mall while he watched a movie.
An officer with Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service responded after mall shoppers spotted the dog in the car.
An officer had to cut the convertible top on the vehicle to rescue the animal.
The dog’s body temperature was later reported at 111 degrees. It wasn’t clear Friday night whether it will survive, SCRAPS said.
The dog’s owner, who was not identified, was charged with animal cruelty, which carries up to a $10,000 fine or five years in prison.
Officials clearing marijuana farm
Methow Valley and federal officials began cleanup at a large marijuana farm on national forest lands near Winthrop, Wash.
Federal and local narcotics teams discovered the grow operation in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and eradicated more than 10,000 marijuana plants there last year. The farm was determined to be a part of an international drug trafficking organization.
About 35 law officers from various agencies hiked into the remote farm to remove toxic chemicals and dismantle wood structures, fencing and several hundred yards of plastic water tubing. More than 200 pounds of fertilizer also was removed.