In brief: Man dies after clothes catch fire

A 78-year-old Spokane Valley man was killed Sunday after his clothing caught fire from a propane radiant heater.

The victim, identified Monday as Adolph Borth, was found lying on the ground at 18305 E. Liberty Ave. about 2:35 p.m. by his son. Firefighters said his clothing had burned off.

The son reported that his father had been working on his car in a garage at the residence. Fire officials said the man may have backed into or leaned on a radiant heater. He apparently tried to take off the burning clothing, and succeeded in removing his coat, but was also wearing coveralls and other layers beneath the coat that also caught fire, officials said.

A cause of death was pending with the medical examiner Monday afternoon.

Assistant Fire Marshal Bill Clifford said there should be at least a 36-inch clearance of combustibles around propane radiant heaters.

Mike Prager

Jail worker accused of domestic violence

A Spokane County Jail employee is on paid leave after being arrested on suspicion of domestic violence.

Jeffrey S. Leavey, 40, was released from jail on his own recognizance Monday after deputies arrested him Saturday at his home in Colbert.

Leavey reportedly told investigators he’d held his wife down on their bed, told her she couldn’t leave, threw a box at her and hit her in the arms “five to 25 times,” according to court documents. His wife had red marks on her arms and chest, deputies said.

Leavey is facing charges of unlawful imprisonment, fourth-degree assault and third-degree malicious mischief. He appeared in Spokane County Superior Court Monday, where a judge ordered him to not contact his wife.

Meghann M. Cuniff

Burglary suspect caught asleep in salon

A suspected burglar was caught sleeping on the couch of a Spokane nail salon early Saturday in what detectives think may have been a sexually motivated break-in, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

The owners of Perfect Nails, 9311 N. Division St., arrived at the business about 9 a.m. Saturday and found the front door smashed out and a lone man police identified as Matthew S. Kelso, 21, sleeping on a couch.

Kelso, of Hayden Lake, was still asleep when police arrived and was “physically taken into custody” after deputies said he refused to show his hands, according to a news release.

“From the appearance of his clothing and other evidence, it appeared the break-in might have been sexually motivated” even though the suspect was found alone in the business, the news release said.

Kelso left Spokane County Jail Saturday afternoon after posting $2,000 bond on charges of second-degree burglary and second-degree malicious mischief, records show.

Meghann M. Cuniff