In brief: Murray tours center for homeless vets
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., met with Spokane-area military veterans Thursday and toured the local Veterans Homelessness Outreach Center.
Murray, who serves as chairwoman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, has openly questioned the U.S. Veterans Affairs’ handling of post-traumatic stress diagnoses and care. She was in Spokane to talk with veterans about issues such as mental health, homelessness and any problems specific to female veterans, including access to services in rural areas.
Cattle escape after trailer rolls on I-90
An unspecified number of cattle escaped when the trailer that was hauling them rolled on Interstate 90 on Thursday.
Eastbound lanes 23 miles west of Spokane were partially blocked by the single-vehicle accident, and the cattle had to be corralled until another cattle hauler could come to the scene of the accident. No humans were injured in the crash, the Washington State Patrol said, but one animal was injured and had to be put down.
After snacking, burglars sack home
Burglars ate beef sticks out of their victims’ pantry before making off with a load of loot worth thousands, Spokane Valley police said.
The victims, who live on the 500 block of North Glenn Road, told deputies they left home about 6 a.m. Monday and found their back sliding door forced open when they returned home about 4:30 p.m.
They also found that, in addition to the bilked beef sticks, they were missing three firearms, a computer, an iPod and other electronics. The perpetrators also took four security cameras and a recording device, put all the items in the victims’ Isuzu Trooper, which was parked in their garage, and left with the haul.
The 2001 Trooper is silver with Washington plate number ACU6557.
Authorities estimate a loss of $9,200 and Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for information leading to an arrest in the case. Anyone with information regarding the burglary can call 1-800-222-TIPS.
Traffic stop leads to felony drug arrest
A Spokane County sheriff’s deputy arrested a man on a felony drug charge Thursday after a routine traffic stop.
The deputy stopped Larry Marquette, 43, for failing to signal near Argonne and Montgomery.
But Marquette didn’t get off with just a traffic infraction.
He was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and booked into Spokane County Jail after the deputy found a bag under the driver’s seat authorities believe to contain methamphetamine, said sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Craig Chamberlin. Upon searching the car, the deputy found two cloth bags that held several plastic bags and a digital scale.