Officers mediate after pedestrian, driver incident in Liberty Lake

A pedestrian said he was hit in a crosswalk at Country Vista Drive and Molter Road, in an incident reported to the Liberty Lake Police Department just before 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 14.

He hit the car with his hand in response, which generated an angry response from the woman driving, said Police Chief Brian Asmus.

The woman had a dog in her car, leading officers to surmise that she was one her way to a dog fair at Pavillion Park that day. The officers tracked down the woman, who said she didn’t know she had hit the man. After a lengthy discussion, the pedestrian said he did not want to press charges, Asmus said.

The incident tied up the officers for an extended period. “They were at the park almost an hour, mediating,” Asmus said.

Also that day, a driver refused to stop for an officer and then struggled with police in an incident that began just before 8 a.m. The officer learned that the driver of the car had a warrant for his arrest and was driving with a suspended license. After the officer turned on his lights and siren the driver reportedly stuck his hand out the car window and flipped off the officer, Asmus said.

After driving for about two miles, two officers were able to corner the driver in a parking lot, where he was “noncompliant,” Asmus said. It reportedly took both officers to handcuff the driver and both received minor injuries in the struggle, Asmus said. The driver complained that his shoulder hurt; he was examined by medics.

The driver, identified as 32-year-old Joseph A. Perry, is now facing charges of possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, second-degree driving with a suspended license and possession/use of drug paraphernalia and felony attempting to elude a police vehicle.

Other events reported the week of Sept. 9-16.

Sept. 10: A group of juveniles were reportedly pushing over outhouses at Glenbrook and Indiana Avenue; they were gone when officers arrived.

Sept. 12: Malicious mischief call in the 23000 block of East Mission Avenue for a rock thrown through a business window; an empty cash box was missing.

Sept. 15: A wallet was reported found at the Post Office.

Arrests: Four for driving with a suspended license and one on a warrant.

Citations: Two for expired vehicle registration, four for failure to show proof of liability insurance and seven for speeding. Additional citations given for failure to obey a traffic control device, use of a cellphone and harassment.