Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
COLFAX – Three Spokane men are accused of breaking into St. Ignatius Hospital, vandalizing the building and fleeing police at speeds of more than 100 mph.
Christopher B. Cooper, 20, of Spokane, Louis Hibbs, 20, and Nick Perez, 20, both of Spokane Valley, were arrested.
Cooper was charged on March 3 with second-degree burglary, second-degree malicious mischief, carrying a concealed pistol, and reckless driving in Whitman County Superior Court. He will be arraigned March 11.
Hibbs and Perez were charged with second-degree burglary and second-degree malicious mischief. Their arraignments are March 11.
Cooper is accused of being the driver of the Nissan and having a butterfly knife on him when he was arrested, records show.
Hibbs allegedly admitted to Whitman County Undersheriff Chris Chapman that they found a crowbar, broke in through a boarded-up window, spray-painted graffiti and smashed a surveillance camera, records show.
Perez was arrested and reportedly admitted to hitting a wall once with the crowbar while inside the manor, records show.
The arrests came after Colfax police received a call at 9:45 a.m. March 1 of three men vandalizing St. Ignatius Hospital.
Property owner Austin Storm told Police Chief Bruce Blood he and an employee were watching video surveillance of the trio smashing walls, breaking a sink and a video camera with a crowbar, as well as spray painting graffiti on the walls, records show.
The trio used a crowbar to enter the former hospital through a back window, records show, estimating the to be about $1,000, according to court documents.
As Blood investigated the trio fled the building and got into a grey Nissan, the report said.
Blood was running after them when the car took off nearly hitting the police chief, according to the police report.
“I felt a breeze (as) the car passed so close to me and (I) felt lucky they didn’t hit me with the car,” Blood wrote.
The car turned onto Mill Street and was going an estimated 45 mph, records show. The Nissan turned north onto U.S. Highway 195.
A Whitman County Sheriff’s Office deputy pursued as the car repeatedly crossed the double-yellow centerline while weaving through traffic, records show. When the Nissan neared Crumbaker Road it was going more than 100 mph.
“It appeared the driver was struggling to control the speeding car as the tail of the car looked to be sliding a bit,” wrote Blood. “After this near loss of control, the driver started slowing the car and stopped near (Milepost) 43.”
Inside the Nissan, Blood discovered 9 mm ammunition in the door storage pouch, which led to asking Cooper about where the gun was stored.
Cooper allegedly told police a 9 mm Taurus was under the front passenger seat, records show. It was loaded.
He said he bought it days earlier from a friend, records show. He didn’t have a concealed weapons permit.
Surveillance reportedly shows Cooper brandishing the pistol in the former hospital and “clearing the halls because he was scared there might be homeless in there,” the report said.
St. Ignatius Hospital was built in 1892 by the Sisters of Providence and closed in 1964. Storm and his wife are now operating haunted tours in the building while remodeling the facility.
Bill Stevenson is the former editor of the Whitman County Gazette, Colfax Daily Bulletin and Franklin Connection. He has nearly 30 years of journalism experience covering news in Eastern Washington.
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