Bulletin Column: May 9, 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.

BAIL SET AT $1 MILLION

Bail for pre-trial release of Peter Schoneman, 45, Oakesdale resident who was arrested on probable charges of assault in an investigation which included alleged gun threats, was set at $1 million surety in a first appearance in court Monday.

Schoneman was also ordered to surrender three listed guns and have no contact with the three alleged victims. The arrest report alleged that after Schoneman realized deputies were responding to the residence Sunday evening, he vowed to make their trip to the residence "worth it" with reference to guns.

According to the arrest report by Sgt. Keith Cooper, a juvenile friend of the 13-year-old girl who resided at the Schoneman residence on Fourth Street had texted that Schoneman had assaulted her, her mother and her little brother. Cooper said the three victims were advised via email to leave the residence and walk to the Oakesdale Park to meet deputies. Three other deputies responded to the scene with Cooper.

The suspect's girlfriend, 29, and her two children, 13 and 5, arrived at the park on foot. They reported Schoneman has started to follow them to the park but later returned to the residence. Two of the three victims arrived at the park without shoes. The three victims were later taken to Oakesdale town hall.

They reported Schoneman, at one point, had threatened them with a gun and had put it down. The 13-year-old then hid the pistol.

The report said Schoneman was contacted via his brother who notified deputies he was talking with the suspect via video chat on computer. The brother related the deputy's request to Schoneman to come to the city park and surrender. The report said he agreed, but later refused to come to the park. He agreed to walk out of the residence and was sitting on a retaining wall in front of the house where he was placed in handcuffs.

The report said deputies later learned the suspect had previously been denied an application to possess guns because of his prior record.

FIRE DESTROYS FARM SHOP

A fire Sunday destroyed a farm shop on Doneen Road between Oakesdale and Tekoa. The fire destroyed the shop and two trucks which were parked in front of the building.

Fire crews from Tekoa, Rosalia, Oakesdale and Farmington responded to the scene after the fire started at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Rural tanker trucks and Wilbur-Ellis tankers responded to the scene to supply the district pumper trucks.

CITY DISCUSSES ALLEY PARKING

Truck parking in the downtown Colfax west alley along two blocks between Spring and Upton streets was discussed at Monday night's city council session. Council member Crystn Guenthner, who noted the topic has been discussed previously by the council, said trucks continue to park in the alley and restrict traffic.

Guenthner asked if the city could post no parking in the alleys and have police make an effort to enforce the policy.

City Interim Administrator Chris Mathis noted the alley property does not belong to the City of Colfax, but the city retains an easement to keep the alleys open for use by emergency traffic.

Councilman Jim Kackman said back door deliveries to businesses which front the west side of Main Street normally take about 20 minutes.

Guenthner said trucks sometimes are left parked in the alley. She said delivery trucks left behind the Council on Aging food pantry leave just a narrow gap for vehicles to negotiate the alley in the N. 100 block.

Guenthner also inquired about a city project to install a sign at the dead end alley off the southbound lane of E. Thorn Street in south Colfax. Early this year the Dennis Gransberys, who reside next to the alley entry, petitioned the city to vacate the short alley. They said motorists who turn into the alley and discover it is a dead end then use the Gransbery property to turn around.

The alley ends at the Spring Flat Creek flood channel fence which runs along the north side of the Highway 195 entry into Colfax.

After the vacation petition was denied, the city vowed to post some type of sign to alert drivers of the dead end.

Mayor Todd Vanek said the city and the Gransberys are still attempting to work out the wording which will be placed on the sign.

LASER ARENA FIRE RULED ARSON

The early morning fire at Cougar Laser Arena in Pullman was determined to have been arson, and Pullman Police are now in charge of the investigation. A report from Pullman Fire Chief Mike Heston said the fire, which was discovered early Sunday morning at the Arena in the 1200 block of S. Grand, was classified as an incendiary fire. Investigators Tony Nuttman and Erik Taylor determined the fire started before 2 a.m. and was started at several locations inside the building. Nuttman said there were multiple points of origin.

The investigators also found evidence of vandalism in the building.

The fire was discovered by a Pullman paramedic who observed smoke coming from the building at about 2 a.m. while returning from a run to the hospital. The first Pullman engine crew on the scene saw flames inside the building and began efforts to extinguish the fire.

The building, the former location of the Vogel furniture store, did not sustain structural damage, and the Wysup Motors Import office next door sustained only smoke damage.

PRH LEVY 489 VOTES SHORT IN FINAL COUNT

Final count of the votes for the April 23 special levy election showed Pullman's Regional Hospital District's $29 million levy proposal fell short of validation by 489 votes. The levy needed 3,744 votes to meet the state's turnout requirement of 40 percent of the turnout of the last general election. Final count was 3,255 votes cast.

Those voting on the measure returned a 63.7 percent yes vote to exceed the 60 percent required for the levy. Final tally was 2,074 in favor and 1,181 opposed.

A Garfield Cemetery District proposal for $40,000 received 152 yes votes and 45 no votes for more than 77 percent approval. The Garfield measure also exceeded its turnout requirement which was 158 votes.

Friday's report by the election canvassing board determined 413 ballots were returned because they were undeliverable. Six ballots arrived without signatures, and five of those voters returned subsequent signature forms.

Another 39 ballots arrived after the election day mailing deadline. The board reviewed 66 ballots with questionable signatures and approved 44 for the count.

Total turnout for the election was 3,453 for 23.12 percent participation from the 14,932 voters registered in the precincts involved in the election.

TWO JAILED ON METH ARRESTS

Everett Johnson, 64, Garfield, and Thomas McBride, 53, Oakesdale, were booked into the county jail early Sunday morning on charges after drug arrests the previous night, according to a report by Deputy Sgt. Dan Brown.

Johnson was arrested Saturday evening near the Oakesdale city limits on an initial charge of driving with a suspended license.

A search of his person turned up five baggies of methamphetamine and six $100 bills in his pocket. Search of the Toyota pickup truck he was driving turned up more methamphetamine for a total of 14 grams, the report alleged.

He was arrested for possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver.

Information from the Johnson arrest led deputies to a residence in Oakesdale where they arrested McBride on charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. The report said 30 grams of methamphetamine and a digital scale were located at the Oakesdale residence.

Four deputies went to the residence, and McBride allegedly failed to come out of the residence. He was located in the back of a bedroom.

The reports said the 30 grams of methamphetamine were found in a ziplock bag which was found in a garbage can in the residence. A digital scale was also found in the search.

BOMB DISARMED ON PULLMAN PLAYFIELD

A Spokane Explosives Disposal unit was called to Pullman Sunday to disarm an explosive device which had been left at the City Playfields on the 800 block of SE South Street. A passerby observed what appeared to be a pipe bomb and notified Pullman Police at 8:03 a.m. The Spokane unit arrived at 10:10 and rendered the device safe, according to a report by Pullman Police Chief Gary Jenkins.

The device will be sent to a crime lab for further investigation.

Chief Jenkins said the device was left near electric service panels on the west side of the playfield and adjacent to a walking path.

He said evidence found at the scene indicated attempts had been made to light the fuse on the device.

CULHANE SENTENCING DELAYED

Sentencing of Thomas Culhane, the former WSU student who was convicted by a jury on two of four charges March 27, was delayed Friday until May 31. Culhane, who had been scheduled to be sentenced Friday, waived his right to a speedy sentence.

Court records show Culhane changed defense attorneys to represent him. Todd Maybrown of Seattle filed a notice of appearance on behalf of Culhane.

Culhane was convicted on one charge of second-degree rape and one charge of furnishing liquor to minors. The charges stemmed from an off-campus party which was at an apartment Aug. 20, 2017.

The jury found the defendant not guilty of a second charge of second-degree rape and a charge of assault. Both the rape charges and the assault charge involved the same alleged victim.

Spokane Attorney Steven Graham, who represented Culhane at the trial, filed a motion for the court to overturn the jury's conviction of Culhane on the rape charge and dismiss it because of an alleged flaw in how the jury was instructed before it began deliberation.

An April 19 hearing date had been filed on the motion, but Graham subsequently cancelled the hearing.