Man allegedly assaulted with hammer at Spokane Valley apartment

A man was taken to the hospital Thursday night after another man struck him in the head with a small hammer at a Spokane Valley apartment complex, deputies said.
Spokane Valley deputies responded around 6:10 p.m. to the alleged assault at the Loma Vista Apartments, 105 S. Havana St., according to a Spokane County Sheriff’s Office news release. Initial information indicates the suspect, who is an acquaintance of the victim, and another man arrived at the victim’s apartment to pick up property belonging to the suspect. The three hung out for a short time.
The victim told authorities the suspect – suddenly and without provocation – picked up a hammer from the victim’s tool bag and started striking him in the head. After a short struggle, the victim ran to the parking area, where he contacted an ambulance unit that happened to be on scene for an unrelated situation, deputies said.
The EMTs told detectives the victim was bleeding from his head when he approached them, and they provided medical attention. The victim was taken to the hospital for additional treatment and evaluation and later released, the release said.
Deputies searched the area for the suspect but did not locate him, deputies said.
Around 7 p.m., someone reported seeing an unidentified male jump into a garbage can on the 6600 block of East Sprague Avenue, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies responded and contacted a man believed to be the man who accompanied the suspect during the alleged assault.
Detectives interviewed the man and released him without charges, the release said. The victim told detectives the man did not participate in the assault.
The suspect, who investigators believe they’ve identified, could face a felony assault charge and others when located, deputies said.