Bulletin Column

These reports are from the previous four issues of the Daily Bulletin in Colfax. They are reprinted here for the benefit of Gazette readers who reside outside of Colfax. Some accounts have been updated.

KENT ARREST SAID A

STANDOFF

Theodore R. Kent, 52, former Colfax resident now of Pullman, was booked into the county jail early Monday after he was arrested at what Pullman police described as the scene of a standoff at a Pullman apartment. He was arrested on probable charges of burglary and second degree assault.

The Pullman arrest report said they responded to a report Sunday night at the Glendimer Apartments and found the suspect standing outside an apartment with what appeared to be the handle of baseball bat.

The report said they located four males inside the apartment. They reportedly had armed themselves with a knife, hatchet and a Samurai sword.

The report said officers initially placed all five people involved in handcuffs and advised them of the Miranda arrest rights.

Officers determined Kent had become upset because he had earlier paid one of the occupants of the apartment $25 for marijuana. When he arrived at the apartment later to collect the marijuana, the alleged vendor told him it had not yet been delivered there. Kent said he demanded a return of the $25, but the alleged vendor declined to return the money and asked him to wait until the marijuana became available.

Kent was allowed release on his own recognizance after an initial appearance in court Monday. Formal charges have not yet been filed.

DEER HIT NEAR COLFAX

Dennis McGreevey, Moscow, was unhurt early Saturday morning when the 2005 Subaru Forester he was driving struck a deer on Highway 195 two miles south of Colfax. According to the Washington State Patrol report, he was driving southbound at 6:10 a.m. when the deer ran onto the roadway and struck the front of the car.

—The motorcycle rider injured March 30 on the Colfax-Palouse Highway was Karen Deruwe of Otis Orchards. She sustained collar bone and wrist injuries when she lost control of the motorcycle she was riding westbound at 1:40 p.m. and went into the ditch on the north side of the highway four miles west of Colfax. She was thrown from the motorcycle. The location, just east of the North & South Palouse Grange hall, was the scene of a fatal motorcycle accident last year.

RICHARDSON

WARRANTS QUASHED

Superior Court warrants for the arrest of Cody Richardson were ordered quashed Friday after the court learned Richardson, a former Colfax resident, has been undergoing in-patient treatment. The warrants were issued here after Richardson failed to show up for scheduled court dates. One of the cases involved failure to respond to a summons after he was formerly charged with theft and burglary of the Pullman Dairy Queen Jan. 5. Bail on that warrant had been set at $10,000.

The police report on the Dairy Queen case alleged Richardson had become a suspect because he was a former employee at the Pullman business and had access to the building and the office where funds were discovered missing.

The court has slated a hearing May 3 to determine the status of two of the Richardson cases.

CRITICAL AREAS TOPIC

MOVED TO MAY

The meeting for the adoption of the updated Colfax Critical Areas ordinance has been moved to May 6, the first city council meeting of next month. Council members originally scheduled the session for next Monday, April 15, but it was delayed for two more weeks because of a schedule conflict. Councilman Jim Kackman, who has been the lead reviewer of the revised plan, will not be able to attend the April 15 council session.

TRIAL SET FOR B. BILDERBACK

A June 4 trial date has been set for Bobby J. Bilderback, 44, Malden, after he pleaded not guilty to four charges related to the death of Donavin Stapert, 17, Malden. Bilderback pleaded not guilty to charges of controlled substance homicide, distribution of methamphetamine to a minor, endangerment of a minor with controlled substance and possession of methamphetamine.

Bilderback remains in jail here in lieu of posting a $1 million pre-trial bond which was set by Judge David Frazier after Bilderback was brought to jail here from Missoula where he was arrested.

The arrest report alleges the Stapert youth died from an overdose of methamphetamine at the Bilderback residence in Malden the night of March 6-7. The youth was found March 27 in a shallow grave in the Chattaroy area.

Two other suspects, Chastity Bilderback and James Ramson, have also been arrested and are being held on $250,000 bond requirements.

CHECK

WASHING ARREST HERE

Richard J. Lander, 20, was arrested late Friday afternoon at his residence on N. Cedar Street in Colfax on a probable charge of possession of stolen property. The arrest report alleges Lander is the latest suspect in a series of “check washing” cases in the area.

Lander was arrested after Pullman police received a report March 21 that a resident there discovered an invalid $3,500 check had been written on her account. The account holder told police she had written a $350 check to First Step Internet and discovered it had been “washed” with the name of the recipient and the amount changed.

The investigation report said Pullman police obtained a video of the person cashing the check at Bank of America in Pullman. The person in the video was identified as the suspect by Colfax police.

The report said Lander is the fourth suspect in the check washing investigation which involves taking checks from the mail and altering them. Among other prior suspects is Lander’s father, Walter Lander, the report said.

FATAL FALL AT GRANITE POINT

Deputies early Friday morning responded to a report of a man killed by an accidental fall at Granite Point along the Whitman County side of the Snake River. The deceased was identified as Andrew P. Duke, 23, Pullman. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The report by Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Chapman said deputies spoke with three individuals who were with the deceased that night.

The preliminary investigation determined he walked away from the others and was later found by them at the bottom of a 50-foot cliff. They called 911 to report the accident.

The report said alcohol was believed to be involved in the fatality.

The Whitman County coroner responded to the scene. Injuries sustained by Mr. Duke were consistent with injuries sustained in a fall. He was taken to Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman.

Asotin County and Colton-Uniontown EMS and a Lewiston ambulance also responded to the scene.

BARGE INJURY ON RIVER

A Lewiston man, Richard R. Penny, was injured Friday afternoon when he was struck by a cable while working on a barge at the Port of Wilma downstream from Clarkston. According to the report from Sheriff’s Sgt. Dan Brown, Penny, 48, was aboard a barge at Columbia Grain when a cable which had been tied off to a cleat on the dock broke loose and struck him in the abdomen. He sustained internal injuries which were believed to be non-life threatening.

Lewiston and Clarkston ambulances responded to the scene. He was taken to St. Joseph Regional Hospital in Lewiston.

INLAND RE-ELECTS KROLL

Jim Kroll of Colfax was re-elected to the board of Inland Power and Light at the annual membership meeting Saturday at Northern Quest Casino. Kroll represents Inland’s District 6 which includes the Whitman County area north of highways 26, 195 to Pullman and 270 to Moscow.

Gerald Davis of Colfax serves on the Inland board as an at-large member. Also re-elected to the board Saturday was Kristina Bahr, an at-large member from Spokane Valley.

TRIAL SET FOR

Endicott MAN

Richard Anderson, 54, Endicott, pleaded not guilty Thursday in superior court to two charges of delivery of methamphetamine. Anderson was arrested last September after members of the Quad Cities Drug Task Force alleged they arranged for a controlled purchase of methamphetamine on two different dates. Anderson was released on his own recognizance after his arrest.

Formal charges were filed against him March 13. He has been scheduled for a June 17 trial.

ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILL

Colfax officers, WSP troopers and Whitman County deputies conducted an “active shooter” drill last Thursday at the Colfax High School. The officers are taking advantage of the spring break to conduct a drill without students present in the building, according to Police Chief Rick McNannay.

CITY LIMITS COMP PAY

Colfax City Council April 1 approved a new employment policy which reduces the number of compensation hours allowed for city employees. The new policy was recommended by the council’s personnel committee with Chairman Thomas Huntwork reporting to the council.

Under the former comp time policy, employees were allowed to bank compensation hours from year to year with a maximum of 360 for fire department employees and 240 for other employees. The policy resulted in some large payouts for employees when they left city service with compensation pay added to vacation time.

The new policy sets one-year limits. Annual limit will be 48 hours for all city employees except fire department employees who work 24-hour shifts. They will be allowed 80 hours. The policy will work on a use it or lose it format each year.

The career comp limits had been 240 for regular employees and 360 for fire staffers.

MOLLER ROAD OPEN

Upper Moller Road has been opened to through traffic for the season. The road provides a link between Moller Road and Hillcrest on the west hill. Because of a steep grade at the end closest to Hillcrest, the unsurfaced road is closed during the winter season.