Ritzville Police Report

Feb 3, 4:20 p.m. — Police Chief David McCormick responded to the area of N. Jefferson Street and West Alder Avenue to investigate a report of juveniles riding four-wheelers. McCormick observed the four juveniles driving four-wheelers on a vacant lot. He contacted an adult who was watching them and said a citizen was concerned for the juveniles’ safety. McCormick then contacted an individual responsible for the property to make sure it was all right that they ride there. As he was leaving the area, he saw the quartet returning home.

Feb. 3, 1:01 p.m. — Chief McCormick responded to the 200 block of West Second Avenue to investigate a back door activation alarm at a residence. Both the front and back doors were secure. The owner of the home said they could not respond and would check the home later.

Feb. 2, 10:53 a.m. — Officer Hunter Klewin responded to Connell Oil to retrieve a driver’s license that was found in the parking lot. The license was mailed to the listed individual.

Feb. 2, 10:50 p.m. — Dispatch advised Sergeant Mark Cameron that the branch manager for Sterling Savings in the 100 block of East First Avenue had called to report that the alarm company contacted him because the bank alarm had been tripped. When the alarm company called the bank someone answered the phone stating they were with the cleaning company but didn’t know how to turn off the alarm. Cameron made contact with the two subjects at the bank. It was eventually determined they were supervisors of the cleaning company and they were not familiar with the bank’s updated alarm system. A bank employee responded to reset the alarm.

Feb. 2, 8:08 p.m. — Sgt. Cameron and Officer Klewin responded to the 100 block of North Washington Street at the Eagles. They were asked to remove an intoxicated man and serve him with a suspension notice. The man left willing and was driven home by a citizen.

Feb. 2, 1:18 p.m. — Officer Klewin responded to Life Care Center of Ritzville in the 500 block of S. Jackson Street for a suspicious 9-1-1 call. While on his way he was notified by dispatch that the call had been placed by mistake. He arrived at the facility and determined everything was in order.

Feb. 2, 7:53 p.m. — Officer Klewin responded to the 100 block of East Third Avenue for a suspicious circumstance. The complainant advised of a loud bang against the house. After contacting the resident, Klewin walked around the outside of the house and didn’t find any evidence of something being thrown against or damaging the house.

Feb. 2, 4:19 p.m. — Chief McCormick responded to North Washington Street between Main and Railroad Avenues. A citizen reported seeing a woman allow her dog to defecate on the sidewalk. When McCormick contacted the dog’s owner she denied it. Two other witnesses later confirmed that they saw it happen as well. McCormick re-contacted the woman, and told her to clean it up. He warned that if it happened again she would be issued a citation. He also told the woman that her dog needs to be licensed.

Feb. 1, 12:43 p.m. — Chief McCormick was contacted by dispatch in reference to a citizen assistant. An individual from Sprague wanted police to contact another person in Ritzville and ask them to return some documents. McCormick made contact with the person on Feb. 3 and they said they would return the papers as soon as they found them.

Feb. 1, 11:18 a.m. — Chief McCormick contacted a citizen in the 200 block of West Main Avenue. They reported losing their two dogs. A city employee later saw the dogs on the frozen sewer pond. He was able to catch one of the dogs in a trap. The city employee took the dogs’ owner to the sewer treatment plant, but they were unable to find the second dog.

Feb. 1, 2:13 a.m. — Officer Tom Gracie responded to the 500 block of South Jackson Street at Life Care Center of Ritzville to assist with lifting a patient who had fallen.

Jan. 30, 4:46 p.m. — Officer Gracie responded to the 300 block of West First Avenue where he met a reporting party who had found a syringe and a spoon lying on the ground in the parking lot. It is unknown how long the items were there. The syringe was disposed of at East Adams Rural Hospital and the spoon was disposed of at the police department.

Jan. 30, 2:29 a.m. — Sgt. Cameron observed a vehicle in the parking lot of the baseball field. Cameron contacted the adult subjects in the vehicle who advised they were just hanging out and talking. There was no evidence of criminal activity so Cameron left the area.

Jan. 29, 12:21 p.m. — Officer Gracie contacted a complainant by phone in reference to a possible assault that occurred two days earlier during a child exchange in the 100 block of West Galbreath Way at McDonald’s.

Jan. 28, 12:12 p.m. — Officer Gracie made contact with a woman at the sheriff’s office reference lost property. The woman said a black case with some money and prescription medications was taken from her car sometime during the past week.

Jan. 28, 10:51 a.m. — Officer Gracie responded to the 1500 block of South Bauman Street to investigate a theft of gas from the Ritz Food Mart. The store clerk reported an individual pumped $29.28 of gas and then drove away without paying. The vehicle headed west on Interstate 90. A description of the vehicle was given to the Washington State Patrol.

Jan. 28, 1:24 a.m. — Sgt. Cameron responded with the ambulance to a Life Alert emergency in the 700 block of South Jefferson Street. The call was a false alarm.

Jan 27, 11:01 p.m. — Sgt. Cameron and the Ritzville Fire Department responded to a report of a strong smoke smell at the Colwell Motor Inn in the 500 block of West First Avenue. The fire department discovered a nearby house where heavy smoke was coming from a wood stove vent. All units cleared. Cameron checked the area later and the smoke was gone.

Jan. 27, 1:44 p.m. — Animal Control Officer Scott Carruth responded to the 100 block of East Seventh Avenue after a reporting party complained that the neighbor’s dog was running loose on their property. The owner of the dog is out of town. The animal was placed in the city pound and will be released when the owner returns and licenses the dog.

Jan. 27, 9:11 a.m. — Chief McCormick investigated a theft report in the 600 block of West First Avenue. The reporting party stated their son’s snowboard was taken off the front lawn sometime during the past six days. The snowboard was valued at $400.

Jan. 27, 7:21 a.m. — Chief McCormick contacted a complainant by telephone after they had an incident during a custodial exchange in the 100 block of West Galbreath Way at McDonald’s. The woman reported that the father of her three-year-old became aggressive when she declined to sign some papers. There were no injuries. McCormick advised her to use a third party for the custodial exchanges at least until a court ordered visitation plan is in place.

Jan. 25, 4:00 p.m. — Chief McCormick contacted a woman in the area of North Division Street at the railroad tracks. The woman wanted to report that the two large crosses erected in honor of people who died in the area, had been removed. The owner of the crosses had not removed them.

Jan. 24, 10: 28 p.m. — Officer Gracie, while on patrol heard what sounded like an audible car alarm. He discovered it was an alarm at Big Bend Electric Cooperative in the 1300 block of North State Route 261. A person with a key to the building responded and a search was conducted. A door was found open, but nothing appeared to have been disturbed or taken.

Jan. 23, 2:20 p.m. — Officer Klewin contacted a woman in the 500 block of East Second Avenue who wanted to report receiving threatening phone calls. Klewin listened to a recorded voice mail message.

Jan. 22, 11:56 p.m. — Sgt. Cameron found a juvenile out past curfew in the 100 block of West Galbreath Way. The subject has been given several previous warnings for curfew violation. Cameron contacted a parent and the juvenile was released to them.