Plea deal drops attempted murder case

A Spokane man whose attempted murder trial ended in a mistrial last week was sentenced this week to nearly 10 years in prison.

Don R. Davis, Jr., 29, pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary, first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance and drive by shooting in a plea deal that dropped the attempted first-degree murder charge.

He was ordered to serve 116 months in prison by Superior Court Judge Jerome Leveque on Wednesday. Leveque declared a mistrial last week after a witness offered testimony that Davis’ lawyer, Rob Cossey, said was a surprise.

The charges stem from a wild car chase on Oct. 4, 2009, that includes several collisions as Davis attempted to force his ex-girlfriend and former best friend off the roadway .

He also was accused of breaking into an apartment and stealing a handgun that was used in a drive-by shooting.