Bulletin Column: September 12, 2019

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.

HARGRAVES TRIAL GETS UNDERWAY

Jury selection for the trial of former Pullman Sgt. Dan Hargraves continued Tuesday. A total of 95 potential jurors were called to report Monday to begin the selection process for the trial which is expected to continue all this week.

Hargraves faces a charge of sexual misconduct in the first degree. The case dates back to March 30, 2018, when Hargraves is alleged to have had a sexual encounter with a female WSU student who had allegedly pleaded with him that she would do anything to avoid being taken into custody.

According to the investigation report, the alleged victim was reported to be very intoxicated in the Greek row area of college hill.

Hargraves observed the student and transported her back to the Duncan Dunn dormitory and told her to stay there. Twenty minutes later she was observed outside of the dorm by another Pullman officer who told her he would have to cite her. He instructed her to stay in her dorm room. Ten minutes later she was observed by Hargraves who allegedly chided her for disobeying instructions and told her he would have to take her to the police station.

The investigation report said the alleged victim's cell phone showed her to be in the area of Reaney Park. She was later dropped off by Hargraves at Rogers Hall.

The large pool of potential jurors Monday were asked to report to the large meeting room in the Public Service Building. They were relayed in groups to the superior court room in the courthouse to begin the selection process.

Eleven of the 95 were dismissed Monday.

After the first round of review the remaining pool of jurors filed into the courtroom at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday for the final selection process.

Prosecutor Denis Tracy has listed 23 potential witnesses for the state's case. Among those listed are four Pullman Police officers, a Washington State Patrol detective, a Washington State Patrol trooper, a Pullman Police sergeant and the Pullman Chief of Police. The alleged victim is also on the witness list along with six other WSU students.

Defense Attorney Roger Sandberg has listed one witness, Boise State Professor of Biology Greg Hampikian.

Hargraves resigned from the Pullman Police department last November.

ARTS COUNCIL LOADS UP FISH

A group of Colfax Arts Council members gathered Monday night at the home of Henry and Debbie Stinson and assembled 20 boxes of cutout fish for painting by Colfax school students. The boxes included paint and materials for the students to paint the fish which will eventually be mounted on fences along the Colfax flood control channels. The boxes were assembled on the basis of three fish to paint per student.

The group also prepared a box of the fish cutouts for Parks Director Steve Larkin who has told council members he often receives inquiries from people who want to join the fish painting project.

HIGHWAY 272 BLOCKED

A disabled semi truck and trailer blocked Highway 272 for more than three hours last Thursday night at mile 5.2 near the Glenwood Road intersection.

The loaded truck initially blocked the westbound lane when it stopped at 6:15 p.m. A tow crew was summoned from Spokane, and when it arrived on the scene the highway was shut down at 8:27 p.m. and remained closed until 11:47 p.m., according to the Washington State Patrol report.

Traffic during the blockage was rerouted at Colfax.

BERQUIST WINS DIPPEL TROPHY

Sydney Berquist of Colfax was named grand champion of the Ernie Dippel award after winning the round robin showing competition Saturday. Grace Utecht of Spokane Valley was the reserve winner. Both competed as the top winners for showing sheep.

Other top showmen in the round robin event were Perry and Delaney Imler winners for beef, Trenton Lyman and Lola Baerlocher for goats and Cole Hennigar and Carter Sexton for hogs.

Elijah Gollnick of Pullman received the Ray Mackleit memorial award for helping around the hog barn.

The sale bill for the junior market sale totaled 274 animals with 52 sheep, 36 goats, 66 beef and 124 hogs.

The sale started with the hogs, and Audrey Olson of Tekoa, 4H grand champion, had the first animal in the sale pen. She was followed by Cole Hennigar of Colton, the FFA grand champion.

Champions for sheep were Utecht for 4H and Annalee Cox of Colfax for FFA.

Goat champions were Trenton Lyman of Colfax for 4H and Lauren Stubbs of LaCrosse for FFA.

Beef champions were Ainslee Imler of Colfax for 4H and Ava Budde of Rosalia for FFA.

GUNN SENTENCED TO 90 DAYS

Edward J. Gunn, the Pullman resident who was convicted by a jury Aug. 19 of possession of methamphetamine, was sentenced to 90 days in jail Friday. Gunn, 57, will be allowed to undergo in-patient treatment for addiction and the time served in treatment will be credited against the 90-day sentence.

Gunn was ordered to report to jail by 5 p.m. Monday. His release date with good-time credit will be Nov. 8.

The jury at his trial opted to convict him of drug possession after finding him not guilty of possession with intent to deliver.

Gunn's case dates back to June 9, 2018, when a known drug user was arrested in Pullman and found to be in possession of a scale, needles and a container, all with heroin residue. On the way to jail, the suspect offered to provide information on Gunn in exchange for not being jailed for possible conviction following her arrest.

Deputies requested the female suspect to call Gunn and arrange for the purchase of methamphetamine. Sgt. Michael Jordan reported he and the first suspect waited near Gunn's residence on Webb Street in Pullman and observed the 1994 Oldmobile 88 Gunn was driving arrive at the residence and arrested him.

The female suspect was allowed to depart as deputies began to arrest Gunn.

DRUG SEARCH LEADS TO ARREST

Sean T. Storment, 42, Pullman, was booked into jail here Friday after Pullman Police and members of the Quad Cities Drug Task Force conducted a warrant search at his residence in the 1200 block of Hannah Street. Sheriff Brett Myers, task force commander, said more than a quarter pound of methamphetamine and $438 in cash was located at the residence during the search.

Also discovered were credit cards and identification cards which did not belong to Storment along with items which had been reported stolen from a burglary in Moscow.

Myers said in June detectives executed a controlled purchase of narcotics from Storment. He said he was also suspected of burglarizing the home of a neighbor who was at work at the time.

PULLMAN CONDUCTS 9/11 RITE

The City of Pullman, Pullman Police and Fire Department conducted a 9/11 memorial ceremony Wednesday 7:30 to 8 a.m. at the City Hall Plaza, 325 SE Paradise Street. The ceremony included a flag raising and lowering, brief words by Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson, Police Chief Gary Jenkins and Fire Chief Mike Heston. A moment of silence was observed.

In 2009, Congress deemed Sept. 11 a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Four US commercial airplanes were hijacked by Islamic terrorists Sept. 11, 2001, as part of a devastating attack against the United States. A total of 2,977 people were killed, and more than 6,000 others injured when planes hit the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and a rural field near Shanksville, Pa.

The 9/11 attack also proved the deadliest incident ever for firefighters and law officers. New York City Fire Department lost 343 members. The police department lost 23 officers and the Port Authority lost 37.