Rosalia handcuff set lone casualty of rally

Rosalia Marshall Robert Fitzgerald lost his set of handcuffs as the lone casualty of the 2009 Rosalia Motorcycle Rally. The town council Tuesday night gave him the go-ahead to order a replacement set.

Fitzgerald said a rallier was getting particularly rowdy in the park early Sunday morning, Aug. 16. Fitzgerald was called and had to cuff the suspect to bring him into custody.

At 6:57 a.m. Whitman County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Goldsby transported Robert C. Penland, 39, to Colfax and booked him into the county jail on disorderly conduct charges.

Fitzgerald said he called the jail later in the week to check on the cuffs and corrections officers told him the key would not work and they were forced to saw the cuffs off the suspect.

Fitzgerald told council members Tuesday he will likely purchase a new set from a police supply store in Spokane. He estimated the cost at near $50.

Overall, Fitzgerald reported little crime from attendees of the fifth annual rally.