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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Convicted killer’s sentence reduced

Haddon (The Spokesman-Review)

More than 12 years have been erased from a convicted killer’s prison sentence.

Dione J. Williams, 29, was convicted in May 2004 as being the trigger man in the Sept. 23, 2003, shooting of 26-year-old Arren T. Cole, whose body was found on Division Street just north of Main Avenue.

Superior Court Judge Jerome Leveque sentenced Williams in 2004 to serve more than 37 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of five felony counts, including first-degree murder. Appellate judges dropped three of the felony charges on technical grounds and sent the case back for resentencing.

On Friday, Leveque sentenced Williams to 297 months, or just less than 25 years, for the charges that remained, which include the original first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery counts.

Shoshone County

Second drowning victim identified

The second man who drowned in the Coeur d’Alene River this weekend has been identified as Frank Veltri, 48, of Coeur d’Alene.

Veltri and Glen Brakeman, 45, of Post Falls, died after their raft capsized Saturday about 12 miles upstream from Enaville, according to the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office.

Veltri’s son, Mike Veltri, 24, survived. Campers found Veltri’s body shortly after Mike Veltri called authorities from the Kingston Shell station.

Brakeman’s body was spotted Sunday evening and recovered the next day.

“The cold water was a minimal factor,” said Lt. Corey Thompson. “It was more they got caught in logjams and their raft overturned and they weren’t wearing life vests. There was no way they were coming out of there.”

The Sheriff’s Office recommends everyone stay out of the river because of extra debris.

Post Falls

Boy, 14, arrested in library break-in

A 14-year-old boy hoping to scour the Internet for pornography and steal computer equipment was arrested Monday at the Post Falls Public Library, police said.

Police arrested the boy on suspicion of burglary after he crawled out a roof window near the northwest corner of the library, 821 N. Spokane St., about 6:42 p.m., according to a Post Falls Police Department news release.

He “eventually confessed” under police questioning to breaking a library window to gain access and revealed his motive, police said.

The teen received minor injuries as a result of the break-in and was treated by medics. He was booked into the Kootenai County Juvenile Detention Center.

Spokane

Reward offered for tips on woman

Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for information that leads to the arrest of Shanell L. Haddon, wanted on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance, possession of vehicle theft tools, and third-degree driving with a suspended license.

Haddon, 25, has previous convictions for driving with a suspended license, vehicle prowling, and three counts of possession of a stolen property. She is described as white, 5 feet 7 inches tall and 130 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Her last known address is 1906 N. Ella Road in Spokane Valley.

Anyone with information is asked to call (800) 222-TIPS (8477). Tipsters do not have to leave their own name to be eligible for the reward, but they should leave a code name or number.

From staff reports