Man greeted SWAT team with knife, sheriff’s office says

A man involved in a stolen property investigation threatened a SWAT team with a large knife on Wednesday, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said today. Franklin Dean Fitzgerald, 49, is due in Superior Court today on a second-degree assault charge after he answered his front door in a “fighting stance” with a military-style knife raised over his head, blade pointed at SWAT team members, according to a news release by Sgt. Dave Reagan. Fitzgerald slammed the door and SWAT members rammed it open, then arrested him without incident. They also arrested a woman living in the home with him, but Reagan did not release her name. Spokane Valley detectives obtained a search warrant for Fitzgerald’s home in the 1900 block of West 25th Avenue after learning he had stolen firearms there, Reagan said. They used a SWAT team to enter the home about 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday because of Fitzgerald’s criminal record and the possible presence of firearms, Reagan said. But Reagan said investigators found no firearms in the home. They did find stolen car speakers and a bicycle with a serial number removed, as well as medication not prescribed to Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald has previous property crime convictions in Pierce County.