Crime – The Daily Evergreen

Graffiti tag appears downtown again

February 19, 2020

The second appearance of a graffiti tag containing the word “SULK” was cleaned up in Pullman. The most recent tag was on the West-facing wall of the Combine Mall building on Main Street. It appeared on Feb. 5. Pullman Police Cmdr. Jake Opgenorth said the perpetrator — or perpetrators �...

Sociologists examine rural justice systems

LAUREN ELLENBECKER, Evergreen reporter

February 13, 2020

WSU sociologists are examining ways to reduce rising incarceration rates in rural areas as a part of grant-funded research project. Sociology professor Jennifer Schwartz and associate professor Jennifer Sherman will speak to people working in rural jails, law enforcement and other parts of rura...

Letter to the editor: Remove biased story

EVERGREEN CONTRIBUTORS

February 3, 2020

Dear Editor: We, undersigned community members, believe the article “Musician facing felony charges” published Friday was recklessly biased. The story’s details come from a single plaintiff and portray Matthew Donald, a black man, as a sadistic offender. Matt says he will plead not guil...

Musician facing felony charges

LAUREN ELLENBECKER, Evergreen reporter

January 31, 2020

A local musician is being charged with assault in the second degree by the Superior Court of Whitman County. He is scheduled to appear at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 7 in court for a preliminary appearance. Matthew Donald, 29, is facing a Class B felony for an incident of domestic violence which occ...

County jail sees nearly 300 repeat offenders

MADYSEN MCLAIN, Evergreen crime reporter

January 24, 2020

The Whitman County Jail commander reported about 175 county residents were booked in jail more than once in 2018. The number of repeat offenders can cause taxes to rise for Whitman County residents. Whitman County Jail Commander Scotty Anderson said about 261 individuals who are considered repeat...

Whitman County Undersheriff charged

LAUREN ELLENBECKER, Evergreen crime reporter

January 23, 2020

The Whitman County Undersheriff was charged with assault in the second degree by the Whitman County Superior Court on Friday and is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 31 at 10:30 a.m. Asotin County Prosecutor Ben Nichols said Whitman County Undersheriff Ronald Rockness pleaded not guilty to the Class...

DARE graduation prompts talks about opioid use in Pullman

BENJAMIN WHITE, Evergreen reporter

January 17, 2020

Around 190 fifth graders graduated from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program Jan. 15 at Pullman High School. During a Pullman City Council meeting on Dec. 10, Pullman Police Chief Gary Jenkins said the number of heroin cases investigated and the amount of opioid grams seized by the polic...

Coroner releases WSU student’s official cause of death

JAYCE CARRAL, Evergreen reporter

December 23, 2019

The Whitman County Coroner completed the investigation on Dec. 23 into the cause of death of a WSU student who died in November. According to a press release issued today by Whitman County Coroner Annie Pillers, Samuel Martinez’s official cause of death was acute alcohol intoxication. Martinez,...

GALLERY: Car crashed into fence near Hillside Market

JAYCE CARRAL, Evergreen reporter

December 6, 2019

A car crashed into a corner of a fenced bike rack near Hillside Market around 1:20 p.m. today. The Pullman Fire Department and the WSU Police Department responded to the scene. Two people were in the vehicle at the time of the crash and it is currently unknown if either person sustaine...

Fraternity suspended following death of member

JAYCE CARRAL, Evergreen reporter

November 20, 2019

The Gamma Chi chapter of Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) has been temporarily suspended following the opening of multiple investigations into the death of a WSU freshman. Whitman County Coroner Annie Pillers confirmed in an email to The Daily Evergreen that Samuel Martinez, 19, died at 4:30 a.m. on Nov. 12. According...

Suspect identified in middle school bomb threat

MADYSEN MCLAIN, Evergreen reporter

November 20, 2019

A minor stepped forward on Tuesday claiming responsibility for the bomb threat note discovered at Moscow Middle School on Friday afternoon. Moscow Police Chief James Fry said the person responsible will not be identified to the public because they are a minor. The Latah County Prosecutor's Office...

Fraternity member died early Tuesday morning

JAYCE CARRAL, Evergreen reporter

November 13, 2019

The Pullman Police Department have launched an investigation into the death of an Alpha Tau Omega fraternity member. Police Chief Gary Jenkins identified the member as 19-year old freshman Samuel Martinez, according to the latest press release. According to the Pullman PD press release, officers...