In brief: Man who killed self held wife in car

A North Idaho man who killed himself during a police chase was allegedly trying to persuade his wife to drop charges against him.

Daniel Joe Zehm, 52, contacted his wife, Sondra Zehm, on Saturday at their Dalton Gardens home, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department. Police were alerted at 10:15 p.m. that Zehm had called a relative and reported that he was taking his wife to Kellogg. Zehm allegedly sprayed his wife with pepper spray and forced her into his vehicle. He had been driving with her since about 9 p.m., allegedly telling her to drop the charges against him.

Zehm saw the deputies trying to stop him on Fernan Lake Road about 11:15 p.m. He fled toward Coeur d’Alene, running over a spike strip as he reached Fernan Village. He attempted to continue but came to a stop on Sherman Avenue, where he shot himself.

Zehm was arrested in November after pouring gasoline on his wife and trying to light her on fire. He had been released from jail on $200,000 bond for felony charges of burglary and aggravated battery, and was prohibited from contacting his wife.

Not guilty plea in friend’s death

A Spokane man accused of killing his friend in Riverfront Park after a night of drinking was arraigned Tuesday on a second-degree murder charge.

Yukio M. Rideb, 21, pleaded not guilty to killing Romero J. Vivit III in a fight early Dec. 17.

Vivit’s body was pulled from the Spokane River on Dec. 20.

Rideb and Vivit, also 21, had been friends since attending North Central High School together.

Rideb entered his plea before Spokane County Superior Court Judge Annette Plese. He remains in jail on $500,000 bond. His public defender is Anna Nordtvedt.

According to police, Rideb told detectives that Vivit needed to be hospitalized but was still breathing when he left him in the park after the drunken assault. He said he was so intoxicated that he didn’t realize whom he was assaulting until he saw Vivit’s shoes.

Rideb’s trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 27, but that likely will be postponed.

Bloomsday registration begins

Registration for the Lilac Bloomsday Run opened Jan. 1, and early entrants will be entered to win one of two Apple iPads, courtesy of Strong Solutions.

“We love generating the enthusiasm early to get people training,” Lilac Bloomsday Association President Carol Hunter said.

This is the second year the Bloomsday Association is offering the iPad drawing. People who register through Feb. 12 will be entered in the drawing. Hunter said registration has doubled from last year.

“I think that because it is the first Sunday in May, people can use that as a goal during the winter months to stay healthy,” Hunter said. “I think people, once they sign up, they feel like they want to commit to it. They feel invested.”

The Bloomsday Association also announced Tuesday that it selected the Boys & Girls Club of Spokane County as its official charity.

To register, visit www.bloomsdayrun.org/ RegOnline.htm.