Pair face charge of harassment

As they walked along Wellesley Avenue about noon Monday, a black man and his 15-year-old stepdaughter chose to ignore two men who repeatedly harassed them while driving past.

Until the sixth pass. The hecklers gave up commenting about the pedestrians’ clothing, yelled out a derogatory racial slur, and threw a bag full of garbage at them, according to a Spokane Police news release.

The stepfather called police, who spotted the suspects’ white sedan 10 minutes later at 5100 N. Driscoll Blvd., the release states. The men were inside, and police detained them until the victims could arrive at the scene and identify them.

Joseph W. Wentz, 19, of Spokane Valley, and Joshua J. Driggs, 18, of Spokane, were arrested for misdemeanor harassment. Police described Wentz as Hispanic/Native American/white and Driggs as white.

– Nick Eaton

Car hits woman crossing street

A woman was seriously injured Monday evening when she was hit by a car while walking across the street.

A male driver, in his late 70s or early 80s, was driving east on East Sprague Avenue and reportedly did not see the woman, who was crossing the road at South Lee Street. The woman, who is in her 30s, suffered serious head injuries, a broken shoulder and two broken legs, Spokane police Officer Tracie Meidl said.

“There was discrepancy on whether she was in or out of the crosswalk,” Meidl said.

The victim was transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center. Traffic investigators were on the scene Monday. No one was arrested and alcohol did not appear to be a factor, Meidl said.

Neither the man’s nor the woman’s name was available.

– Nick Eaton

Street department gets new leader

A veteran city engineer was promoted on Monday to lead Spokane’s street department.

The Spokane City Council unanimously supported the appointment of Mark Serbousek, who has worked at the city for 14 years, most recently as the operations engineer and bridge engineer. He was nominated to fill the spot by Mayor Dennis Hession.

Serbousek, 48, said he expects to retain his title as the city’s bridge engineer.

He replaces Scott Egger, who was hired by Lacey, Wash., officials to lead their public works department starting July 30, the Olympian newspaper in Olympia reported.

Serbousek, a 1977 Shadle Park High School graduate, holds an engineering degree from Washington State University.

Top-scale pay for the street director job is about $91,000.

– Jonathan Brunt