In brief: Driver stabbed by hitchhiker
A hitchhiker suspected of stabbing a man who stopped to give him a ride was on the loose Friday night in North Idaho.
The man, described as white and in his 20s, reportedly stabbed a 49-year-old Otis Orchards man in the leg after hitting him in the face, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department.
The driver picked up the hitchhiker at Seltice Way and Stateline, and the stabbing occurred at Seltice and Beck Road.
The victim was taken to Kootenai Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. Deputies searched the area for the suspect but hadn’t found him as of early evening. He’s described as wearing blue jeans and a blue hooded jacket.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department at (208) 446-1300.
Driver, 72, killed in Highway 41 crash
A 72-year-old Athol man was killed Friday after his vehicle rolled down a steep embankment in the Spirit Lake area.
Larry G. Young was southbound on Idaho State Highway 41 when his 2003 Dodge Ram pickup left the shoulder on the west side of the road and rolled down an embankment, hitting several small trees, the Idaho State Police said.
The truck came to rest at the bottom, well off the highway, the ISP said.
Young died at the scene. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Sex offender last seen in Spokane
A 43-year-old convicted sex offender considered likely to reoffend disabled his GPS tracking device and was last seen in downtown Spokane on Thursday.
James Broady Artis is wanted on a warrant for escape from community custody, according to the Spokane police.
Artis, a level 3 sex offender, is a drug user who may be armed, police said. Artis was released from prison in August 2005 after serving three years for burglary.
He was also convicted of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon and indecent liberties with a woman, whom he threatened to kill with a knife during the sexual assault, according to previous reports.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911.
Man who shot girl guilty of robbery
A man previously convicted of shooting a 13-year-old girl between the eyes pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree robbery.
Reza Abghari, 26, had been charged with first-degree robbery for a holdup at the Zip Trip at 711 W. Hastings in October. But today, he pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery and received a 15-month prison sentence from Superior Court Judge Sam Cozza.
In 2004, a judge convicted Abghari of third-degree assault and sentenced him to more than two years in prison. In that case, Abghari took a .22-caliber pistol and aimed it at the head of a girl before pulling the trigger. He later told police he thought the gun was unloaded.
The girl suffered permanent loss of some hearing and sight.
Hunters find body at forest campsite
The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an unattended death after two men found a body at a Coeur d’Alene National Forest campsite Sunday morning.
The men were on the Canfield Trail System, about four miles east of the Fernan Gun Range, looking for shed antlers when they came upon the campsite and body.
Deputies and Forest Service officers responded and found the badly decomposed body in a collapsed tent. They believe the individual may have been a transient. Due to the decomposition, the sex and identity are not known.
An autopsy showed no signs of trauma, officials said. The cause of death is unknown.
GOP statewide caucuses today
The Republican Party’s statewide precinct caucuses begin at 10 a.m. today.
In a statement issued Friday, Washington State Republican Party Chairman Luke Esser said participation in caucuses is “part and parcel to our electoral victory this year.”
The process will culminate with the Republican State Convention June 10-12 in Vancouver. To find your caucus location, visit www.wsrp.org and follow the links by county.