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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Man reported dead alive on life support

From Staff Reports

A man reported dead by the Washington State Patrol after a vehicle collision last week is still alive and on life support.

WSP spokesman Trooper Jeff Sevigny said his office released notice of Brandon Morris’ death Monday after receiving incorrect information from the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office.

A medical examiner’s official said they were looking into how the mistake occurred.

Sevigny said Tuesday that Morris is on life support at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.

Morris, 23, crashed his car last week on state Route 904 west of Cheney.

Fugitive in standoff killed self, ISP says

A violent fugitive who barricaded himself inside a Coeur d’Alene house Saturday night apparently killed himself while a SWAT team had the house surrounded, the Idaho State Police said Tuesday.

John David Crispin, 37, died of “an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest,” ISP spokeswoman Teresa Baker said. The man was found dead when a SWAT team entered the residence Sunday.

Crispin, who was wanted on four warrants involving allegations of violent crimes, fired at least one round from a gun about 3:30 a.m. Sunday and officers returned fire, police said. The weekend standoff was in the 7000 block of Quincy Court in the Landings subdivision in northwest Coeur d’Alene. About 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Crispin’s ex-wife left her house and contacted police, saying Crispin was inside her residence armed with a gun and had made statements that he would not leave or cooperate with police.

Shooting blamed on separate dispute

The shooter and the victim in a Saturday altercation in north Spokane told police they were trying to break up the same argument.

Paul Kapfer shot Michael Beckley in the left shoulder after he said Beckley pointed a gun at him at 818 W. Maxwell Ave., court records say.

Kapfer told police he was at home Saturday around 2 a.m. when he heard an argument across the street. He said he was knocked to the ground when he attempted to intervene, so he went back home and got his gun.

When he went back outside, Kapfer said he was struck again and saw a man across the street pointing a gun at him, so he shot the man who turned out to be Beckley.

Beckley told police that two men were leaving his home when he heard an argument begin involving the two men. When the argument got louder, he went outside with his pellet gun. He told police he held the gun out so the arguing individuals could see it, but denied pointing it at anybody.

Beckley was treated at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. Kapfer was transported to Deaconess Hospital for injuries sustained in the fight. No one has been arrested in connection with the shooting.

One man injured in crash, WSP says

An allegedly intoxicated man injured another driver Monday on U.S. Highway 395 near Deer Park after failing to yield at an intersection.

Jacob L. Jokkel, 33, of Chattaroy, was eastbound on Dahl Road about 5 p.m. and failed to yield at 395, the Washington State Patrol said in a news release. He struck an SUV driven by Douglas W. Heise, 63, of Chewelah, who was northbound on 395. Heise’s SUV rolled.

Heise was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. He was not in the hospital on Tuesday morning.

Jokkel, who was not injured, was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence. A warrant was filed Tuesday to obtain a blood sample from Jokkel for investigation of vehicular assault.