The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

Grand Coulee

2/11 - A Burdin Boulevard man reported that a neighbor pushed in the mirrors of his wife’s car and opened the door to the gas cap. There was no noticeable damage. There is an ongoing issue between the neighbors.

2/13 - A husky-like dog was reported running at large in the area of West Grand Avenue. The dog’s owner was located and given a verbal warning.

- A Coulee City man became angry while on the phone with a hospital employee when she wouldn’t give patient information over the phone. The man reportedly said he would kick the hospital doors down and and that she “would be under a bridge.” The employee and the nurse in charge said they didn’t want to press charges but that the man would receive a letter about the incident.

- A Colville Tribal Corrections inmate escaped from Coulee Medical Center while in custody of Tribal Corrections. The man left the emergency room wearing a hospital gown and orange pants. Police were unable to find him, but did find the name of his girlfriend, and her Coulee Dam address. Police were at the address standing by as tribal police found the man with his girlfriend and took him back into custody.

2/14 - An Electric Boulevard man reported that there were footprints in the snow leading to his Humvee vehicle and that the driver-side door was open. Nothing was taken. An officer followed prints in the snow, but there were other prints in the snow as well. One set of prints led to a Park Avenue address. The officer spoke to a man there, who said he was out walking his dog and checking on a storage unit, but that he wasn’t prowling cars.

2/16 - A man was taken to Grant County Jail on active warrants after being spotted on Alcan Road.

- A woman reported that while she was driving in the area of Midway Avenue and West Grand Coulee Avenue (Four Corners), she was almost struck by another vehicle, and was upset about the lack of concern from the other driver.

2/17 - A man pulled over at North Cascades Bank for having expired registration tabs had a phony “trip permit” for which he was cited. The officer noted the permit was printed on regular printed paper, appeared to have been cut with scissors, and had nothing on the back on which to write names and dates.

- An officer got his patrol car stuck in the snow at the switchyard. While another officer helped him dig out the car, a USBR employee tried to help by compacting the snow with his truck, which became stuck as well. The stuck officer then backed his car into the USBR truck, causing some damage to a plastic cap on the front bumper. Both vehicles were dug out and freed from the snow without further incident.

2/18 - A man wanted on a felony warrant was pulled over at North Dam Park for driving with a headlight out. He was arrested, and his two passengers left on foot to find a licensed driver for the car.

Coulee Dam

2/13 - A driver was given a speeding ticket for going 45 mph in the 30 mph zone on SR-155 near Pepper Jack’s. The man said he was having trouble finding the lane lines in the snow. The officer told him that was all the more reason to slow down.

2/14 - An officer assisted with an out-of-control student at the elementary school said to be throwing things at teachers and other staff. The officer sat with the child in a holding room until it became clear there were too many things in the room for the student to get into. The officer took the student to the back seat of his patrol car, where he talked to the student until family could take control.

2/14 - A jackknifed semi-truck at the east end of the Columbia River Bridge blocked the eastbound lane and a part of the westbound lane at about 10 p.m. The truck driver said he was grossed out at 105,000 pounds, and broke all his chains in his attempt to move the vehicle. A tow service was called out of Spokane and arrived at about 4:30 a.m. and had towed the truck out of the way shortly thereafter.

2/16 - An owner of a vacant house on Aspen reported that his sister saw smoke coming from the chimney, and he wanted an officer to check it out. The officer didn’t see tracks in the snow leading to either door, but went in through the back door that had glass broken out of it, and found a lot of junk in the house, a partially melted syringe, and bags of pellets for a stove that was warm to the touch. The man was told about the state of the house and told to contact the chief of police later, and that the officer would be keeping an eye on the house.