Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Second man arrested on assault charge
SPRAGUE – A local man charged with second-degree assault for allegedly trying to choke his girlfriend now occupies Lincoln County Jail with a second local man charged with seven counts of second-degree theft for allegedly stealing seven debit cards from the first man’s car parked in the city after the first man was taken to jail.
Brandon Phillip Searles, 37, of Sprague was booked into jail Aug. 11 after being arrested by Lincoln County Sheriff sergeant Jerad McLagan on a charge of second-degree assault. Searles was arrested for allegedly assaulting and choking his girlfriend, according to police records.
He is reportedly an employee of the Viking Drive-Inn, according to records. He apparently skipped a shift on Aug. 10 when officers tried to contact him because he knew he was about to be arrested, but then agreed to meet the next day, where he was arrested.
Searles also had warrants from Lincoln County for third-degree driving with a suspended license and fourth-degree domestic violence assault out of Spokane County.
According to records, Searles parked his car at Viking Drive-Inn after his arrest. Three days later, a caller reported a vehicle prowling in a white 2000 Ford Explorer, which officers discovered belonged to Searles.
Chief criminal deputy Kody Becker contacted the witness, Tara Walters, who said she saw a man rummaging through the Explorer with video proof, records state. The video showed a man carrying two bags north on Highway 23.
As Becker and Walters spoke, they saw the same man walking along the railroad tracks near Highway 23. The man was Jason Jackson Knight of Sprague, who denied rummaging through anyone’s vehicle, records state.
Becker still had probable cause for an arrest, and arrested Knight on a charge of second-degree vehicle prowling. Knight then admitted he had a no-bail Department of Corrections warrant from a burglary charge, records say.
Searles’ wallet, with his ID card and seven debit and EBT cards inside, were then found in Knight’s bag. Knight was then taken to jail, according to records. Becker also found knives, a meth pipe, several lighters, a black hose, an oil wrench, a backup camera, a ratchet wrench and socket, three pulley pullers and other tools that were apparently stolen from Searles’ car.
Knight has been charged with seven counts of second-degree theft, second-degree vehicle prowling, third-degree theft and second-degree criminal trespassing.
Searles and Knight both entered not-guilty pleas on their separate charges Aug. 24 during preliminary appearances in Lincoln County Superior Court. They both have readiness hearings set for Sept. 21 and jury trials set for Oct. 20.
According to the Lincoln County Jail roster, both men remain in jail.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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