Most Spokane City Council members said Monday they dislike the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 decision that prevents lawmakers from limiting some forms of political spending by corporations.

But there wasn’t a majority who supported asking lawmakers to do anything about it.

The council rejected a nonbinding resolution asking Congress and state legislatures to amend the Constitution to reverse the decision in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission. In that case, the Supreme Court ruled the First Amendment barred Congress from creating spending limits on corporations in political campaigns, though the court left intact the ability to limit direct donations to candidates.

Councilwoman Amber Waldref, who sponsored the resolution, Councilman Jon Snyder and Council President Ben Stuckart supported the resolution. Council members Mike Allen, Mike Fagan and Steve Salvatori rejected it. Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin was absent.

More than a dozen testified in support of the resolution.

Police find drugs in truck that hit boy

A driver was arrested on drug charges Monday after police say the truck he was driving struck a 12-year-old boy in a crosswalk near Stevens Elementary School.

The boy was crossing East Mission Avenue at North Magnolia Street when he was hit by the truck, according to the Spokane Police Department. The boy, who was on his way to the school for his job as a morning crossing guard, rolled more than 60 feet through the intersection. He is currently in stable condition at a local hospital with internal injuries and broken bones, police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer DeRuwe said.

The driver cooperated with police until a witness told officers the driver may have thrown a small bag under a nearby parked car. Police retrieved the bag, which they said contained drugs. They said they also found methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana in the truck.

The driver, Brandon Lee Maganas, 30, was arrested on drug charges; police said he was not impaired when driving.

Meth informant robbed of money

An informant tasked by the Spokane police drug unit with buying methamphetamine from a suspected dealer was instead robbed.

Drug detectives listening on electronic monitoring attached to the informant heard a scuffle after the man went inside a home in the 1200 block of West Chelan Avenue to try to buy meth from Daniel J. McKenzie, 24.

The informant told a detective McKenzie had robbed him of the $60 police gave him.

The informant said McKenzie agreed to sell him meth, then punched him in the head and pushed him down the stairs. Police obtained a search warrant for the residence, and the informant identified McKenzie as the assailant.

McKenzie remains jailed on a Washington Department of Corrections probation hold and a new charge of first-degree robbery.

Judge denies request in trial

A judge on Monday denied a defense request to compel a prosecutor to testify in an upcoming murder trial in a case where another man has already been convicted of the crime.

Superior Court Judge Kathleen O’Connor ruled that Deputy Prosecutor Dale Nagy will not have to testify in the trial of Julio J. Davila, 46, who is charged with first-degree murder in connection to the 2007 bludgeoning death of 74-year-old John G. “Jack” Allen.

In Nagy’s 2008 closing argument, he told a jury that 41-year-old Jeramie R. Davis killed Allen before returning to his adult bookstore several times to steal pornography. But the DNA on the murder weapon did not match Davis.

That DNA eventually was matched to Davila, but not until after Davis’ conviction. O’Connor also postponed Davila’s trial to July 9.

Valley police look for panhandler

Spokane Valley police are trying to identify an “aggressive panhandler” who threatened a store manager with a knife on Sunday.

Officer Clay Hilton responded to Harbor Freight near Sprague Avenue and Sullivan Road, where the manager said a panhandler had opened a customer’s vehicle door and asked for money about 8 p.m. 

She brandished a knife and walked toward the manager when he confronted her, then made an incoherent statement and ran north, police said. She got into a white Ford F-150 truck and drove away.

She was described as white and 5-foot-5 with a thin build. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.

Panhandling is illegal in Spokane Valley.

Crime Check tip leads to arrest

A tip to Crime Check helped police identify a suspect in a burglary at the East Valley School District maintenance office recently.

Christopher David Evans, 29, was arrested Monday by East Valley School Resource Officer Scott Streltzoff for the Jan. 27 burglary, according to the Spokane Valley Police Department.

Police released a surveillance photo of the thief Feb. 8 in hopes someone would recognize him. Acting on the tip, Streltzoff spoke with a friend of Evans last Friday about the location of the stolen tools, valued at $300.

Later that Friday, someone concealing their identity with a hooded sweatshirt returned the tools to the front porch of the maintenance building.

Evans was booked into jail about 2:30 p.m. on charges of second-degree burglary and first-degree trafficking in stolen property.