Man Arrested On Forgery, Stolen Property Charges

A Spokane Valley man accused of trying to use a credit card and checks taken during a car burglary was arrested Saturday on charges of forgery and possession of stolen property.

Deputies booked Michael R. Svoboda, 34, of 917 S. Park, into the Spokane County Jail, where a jail officer said he was being held Tuesday on $5,000 bond.

A man whose pickup truck was burgled on Saturday called deputies to the Money Tree, 12510 E. Sprague, and told them another man was inside trying to cash a $500 check from his stolen checkbook.

Employees at the check-cashing business had called the victim to alert him when the other man could not show picture identification, said David Reagan, Sheriff’s Department spokesman. The victim had received a similar call from a bicycle shop,

Deputies found Svoboda inside the Money Tree filling out a check-cashing application, Reagan said.

Svoboda was arrested on charges of forgery and second-degree possession of stolen property.

Earlier Saturday, a clerk at an unidentified bicycle shop called the victim to tell him a man tried to use his credit card to buy a $1,400 bicycle, Reagan said. The clerk, who later identified Svoboda as the suspect, refused the sale because the man did not have picture identification, Reagan said.

During the investigation, a pharmacy employee called deputies and reported that a man matching Svoboda’s description also had tried to use a stolen credit card at that store, Reagan said. The employee refused the sale and seized the credit card, he said.

Deputies did not release the name of the pharmacy.

Two arrested on meth charges

Deputies arrested two people Monday on drug charges in separate Valley incidents after allegedly finding methamphetamine during traffic stops.

Both were booked into jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance. A passenger in each of the cars also was arrested on outstanding warrants, Reagan said.

Deborah R. Brinkman, 42, of 1309 S. University, was arrested about 10 a.m. near Bowdish Road and Sprague Avenue.

Brinkman could not produce a driver’s license or proof of insurance when deputies stopped her for equipment violations and making an illegal left turn, Reagan said.

After arresting a teen-aged passenger on outstanding arrest warrants, Deputy Fred Morford searched the car and found five baggies of suspected methamphetamine, Reagan said.

At about 2 p.m., deputies arrested Michael Christopher Seraquiel, 32, who gave a Spokane address, at Barker Road and Valleyway Avenue.

Seraquiel’s arrest followed a traffic stop by deputies who knew his driver’s license was suspended, Reagan said. Passenger Jeffrey D. Rosenbaum, 35 of 19500 E. Wellesly, also was arrested on an outstanding warrant.

Deputies searched Seraquiel’s car and found suspected methamphetamine and a set of scales, Reagan said.

Bicyclist hurt in accident

A car and a bicycle collided in the Valley on Saturday, fracturing the bicyclist’s left leg.

Gerald Norris, 31, was treated at Sacred Heart Medical Center and released on Monday.

The 1990 Subaru Royale fared better, suffering only minor damage. Its driver was unhurt.

The Washington State Patrol reported that Norris was riding out of the old Two Swabbies parking lot at 6630 E. Sprague at 10:45 a.m. He rode onto adjacent David Road and in front of the oncoming Subaru.

William Lambert was driving north on David when he saw Norris too late. Lambert, 55, slammed on the brakes but his car still slid into the man.

Pursuit ends in arrest

A 40-year-old Spokane man led deputies on a brief high-speed chase along a major Valley arterial Monday, stopping after several near collisions, the Sheriff’s Department said.

Kevin Scott Zazvorka, 40, was booked into jail on a charged of attempting to elude a police vehicle.

Drivers called the Sheriff’s Department about 9 p.m. to report a white Oldsmobile driving east on Sprague Avenue in an erratic manner. A motorist who followed the Oldsmobile while talking on his cellular telephone told deputies the car did not have its headlights on, was weaving in and out of its lane and was tailgating other cars.

Deputies began following the car at Sprague Avenue and McDonald Road. When deputies attempted to stop the car on Sprague Avenue at Evergreen Road, it sped away, Reagan said.

Speeds reached about 70 mph as the deputies chased the car to Sullivan Road, where other officers had partially blocked the intersection. There, deputies stopped the car and arrested Zazvorka, Reagan said.

Deputies reported several near-misses between the Oldsmobile and other cars, but no accidents or injuries.

, DataTimes