A 48-year-old man who traveled to Spokane from California last week is accused of threatening a prostitute with a knife on East Sprague Avenue.

James L. Brewer, of Sacramento, is charged with second-degree assault after a prostitute told police he'd chased her with a knife and tried to grab her after stopping his silver 2001 Mercedes-Benz at Sprague Avenue and Spokane Street on Aug. 13 about 190:05 p.m.

The woman ran screaming to other prostitutes, who called 911. Police the next day spotted the Mercedes at Sprague and South Lee Street and contacted the occupants, one of whom identified himself as Brewer.

Brewer told police he'd just gotten into town the night before and had asked the woman for directions to a motel, but they ran way screaming "for no reason at all," according to court documents. He denied pulling a knife on them. Brewer was arrested for intimation/display of a dangerous weapon, a misdemeanor and released from jail after appearing in Spokane County District Court.

A felony assault charge was just filed in Superior Court; Brewer, who gave court officials a Pines Road address, has not yet been arrested.

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