Several arrested for suspended licenses

Liberty Lake Police officers were kept busy the week of May 23-31, which included five arrests for driving with suspended licenses. In one night they had three calls within an hour, two of them at the same location.

An officer was on the way to a call about an argument in the 5200 block of North Corrigan Road at 4:10 p.m. on May 23. While on the way there, the office spotted one of the people involved leaving the area and pulled him over at Corrigan and Queen. The officer could smell the odor of marijuana in the car, said Police Chief Brian Asmus. The 32-year-old Spokane Valley resident reportedly admitted to just smoking the drug. Marijuana and a still-warm smoking device were found in the car, Asmus said. The man was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police heard that a Liberty Lake man wanted on a warrant for child molestation and attempted child molestation was in the area on May 25. The 34-year-old man was located driving on Country Vista Drive near Whitman Lane just after 5 p.m. and he was arrested at gunpoint, Asmus said.

A 19-year-old driver didn’t happen to notice a nearby police car at Harvard Road and Mission Avenue at 12:30 a.m. on May 26 when he began to spin his tires and drive dangerously. Asmus said the officer saw the car approach the stop light where the Interstate 90 eastbound off-ramp connects with Liberty Lake Road. The driver was revving the engine and accelerated quickly, causing the car to burn rubber and slide sideways. The car was weaving behind the vehicle in front of it while being very close to the other car’s bumper, Asmus said.

After being pulled over the driver reportedly told the officer that he was “just being stupid,” Asmus said. He was given a criminal citation for reckless driving.

A call came in at 5 a.m. on May 27 to report a fallen light pole at Autumn Crossing and Oakland. Police determined that it had been hit by a car, which then left the scene of the accident. A man came into the Police Department later that day and said he had hit the pole but didn’t stop because he needed to get to work. He received a citation for negligent driving and a lecture about leaving the scene, Asmus said.

Witnesses told police that a man nearly hit several people while speeding through the neighborhood in the area of the 1300 block of North Henry Road at 8 p.m. on May 27. They said the man was speeding, nearly caused several accidents and almost hit pedestrians walking on the side of the road, Asmus said. He drove off the road and hit a tree and tried to fight several witnesses who approached him. When officers arrived the driver began fighting with the officers, Asmus said. He was arrested for driving under the influence.

Several vehicle prowls were reported in the area of the 1700 block of Country Vista Drive the morning of May 29. The vehicles involved were unlocked, Asmus said.

The night that kept officers particularly busy was May 28. Police were called to the 25000 block of East Hawkstone at 10:15 p.m. on a report of a man yelling at and intimidating people in the apartment complex parking lot. Neighbors believed the man was drunk and said similar incidents had happened before, Asmus said. The man was verbally abusive when first contacted by police, but eventually agreed to go back inside his apartment, he said.

While police were still on the scene they received a call reporting a domestic violence incident in a different building of the apartment complex. It turned out that the couple was arguing and there had been no violence, Asmus said. While involved with that incident, police were called about a man in a wheelchair lying in the road at Appleway and Liberty Lake Road. Fire Department medics had arrived to assist the man, but called police for help when he was uncooperative, Asmus said. The man was taken to the hospital for treatment.

During the week officers handed out two citations for license and plates required, three for failure to show proof of liability insurance, two for failure to stop at a stop sign and eight for speeding. Additional citations were given for defective muffler, failure to yield while making a left turn, making an unlawful U-turn and use of a cellphone.