In brief: Crash into police car ends chase, leads to man’s arrest

Spokane Valley police arrested a man they say rammed a stolen car into a patrol car head-on early Tuesday.

Deputy Jeff Thurman tried to pull over a stolen 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday near Sprague Avenue and Freya Street, said a news release from the the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, which provides police service to Spokane Valley.

The Avalanche hit Thurman’s patrol car in a dirt parking lot while it was in pursuit, police said. Thurman remained in pursuit until a flat tire stopped his car.

The Avalanche hit trees at Long Road and Appleway Avenue, and the driver ran from the vehicle. Hector Rodriguez, 43, was found under a nearby deck by police dog Laslo, the release said.

A woman riding in the car with Rodriguez appeared to be trying to exit the vehicle or to get Rodriguez to stop, the release said. The woman jumped from the vehicle just before it hit the trees.

She was injured and was listed in stable condition at a Spokane hospital, the release said.

Rodriguez faces charges of unlawful imprisonment, assault, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, eluding, vehicular assault, DUI, resisting arrest and obstructing. He was ordered held on $100,000 bond at a court appearance Tuesday.

Osprey cruise tickets now available

The annual osprey viewing and banding boat cruise on Lake Coeur d’Alene is set for July 12.

Idaho Fish and Game staff and other speakers will brief the boatload of people about the fish-eating hawks as researchers capture and attach leg bands to chicks.

More than 100 pairs of ospreys nest in the Coeur d’Alene region, often on top of pilings along the lake.

Make reservations through the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce, (208) 664-3194 or online, cdachamber.com. Last year the cruise sold out in a day.

Park’s boat launch open to public

The boat launch at Q’emiln Park in Post Falls has opened to the public, and the swim beach is scheduled to open later this week.

Avista has closed all the spill gates at its Post Falls dam. The action allows river recreation to take place between the Spokane Street Bridge and the boater safety cables upstream of the dam.

Avista expects summer operation at the dam to continue through Labor Day, depending on weather conditions.

Cat makes friend of investigating officer

PORTLAND – It seems an orange tabby wanted to be closely involved when officers responding to a burglary report searched the cat’s home in southeast Portland.

Police were called Monday afternoon when a woman returned home from work to find her house burglarized. When police entered the home to search for a suspect, Officer Sarah Kerwin noted broken glass on the floors of the basement and a bathroom.

The officer picked up the cat to make sure it didn’t step in the glass. The cat happily climbed onto Kerwin’s shoulders and stayed there as police finished searching the house.

No burglar was found.

Coalition wants faster action on lynx

BILLINGS – Wildlife advocates want a federal judge to order faster action on a recovery plan for imperiled Canada lynx, after wildlife officials said it could take until 2018 to finish the long-delayed work.

The U.S. government declared the snow-loving big cats a threatened species across the Lower 48 states in 2000. But officials haven’t come up with a mandated recovery plan.

After a federal judge in Montana criticized the long delay, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offered to complete the work by early 2018.

A coalition of wildlife advocacy groups says that’s not soon enough. They’re asking U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy to order the work done by late 2016.