Man on scooter collides with car

A Spokane Valley man celebrated his birthday in the hospital Saturday after his scooter slammed into the side of a car.

Police identified the man as Randy S. Prickette, 45. He was not wearing a helmet and was treated for a broken cheek, broken ribs and numerous cuts, said Spokane Valley Police Department spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan.

Prickette was riding a Zooma scooter with a top speed of 20 mph that changes directions when the rider shifts his weight, said Reagan. Prickette was heading south on Wabash Circle before turning west on Broad. Police said he took the turn too wide and hit a car heading east on Broad at about 5:45 p.m. The driver of the other vehicle, identified as Katherine P. Quarnstron, 64, saw the scooter coming and was almost at a complete stop when her car was struck by Prickette, Reagan said.

The investigation is continuing. Quarnstron, who was uninjured, was not cited.

Cigarettes stolen in burglary

A burglar got away with several boxes of cigarettes at 3 a.m. Tuesday after he was nearly caught in the act.

“A couple of our SCOPE volunteers saw the bad guy run out of the building,” said Spokane Valley Police Department spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan. “He got away, unfortunately.”

Volunteers John Warner and Dana Beach checked the area where they saw the man and discovered a window had been smashed in at URM, 16808 E. Sprague Ave. They called police. Investigators determined the burglar had kicked in the door of the cigarette room and taken several boxes of Marlboros. The man also kicked in an office door, but a store manager said nothing appeared to be missing from that room, Reagan said.

The volunteers described the suspect as a 16-year-old white male wearing a jacket and shorts, said Reagan. He headed east on a red bike.

Anyone with information on the burglary is asked to call Crime Check at 456-2233.