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<H1>Thanks to David Johnson for another great article, and to Moscow cop Dani
Vargas for job well done.... BL</H1>
<H1>----------------------------------------------</H1>
<H1>Lewiston Tribune</H1>
<H1>Burglary suspect arrested on new charges in Moscow</H1>
<P>By David Johnson of the Tribune<BR>July 8, 2010</P>
<P>MOSCOW - Stephen G. Peak, a 21-year-old Lewiston man, remained in jail here
Wednesday on new charges after being chased and tackled by Moscow police
officers.</P>
<P>Peak, who has a history of burglary arrests and was linked to the conviction
of former Nez Perce County Sheriff Jim Dorion, is supposed to go to trial on
July 19 for an alleged break-in at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. </P>
<P>"Dani Vargas was on bike patrol last night just prior to 11 o'clock on the
east end of town," Assistant Police Chief David Duke said, describing how the
arrest unfolded Tuesday night.</P>
<P>Vargas, Duke said, was in the Village Mall area adjacent to the Troy Highway.
"She noticed a male standing on the east side and he looked like he was trying
to force entry. As she approached, he observed her and immediately took off on
foot."</P>
<P>Peak, Duke said, is now charged with one count of burglary, two counts of
attempted burglary, one count each of resisting and obstructing and one count of
possession of burglary tools after the Tuesday incident.</P>
<P>"He's also a person of interest in our Renaissance Mall break-ins from a
couple of weeks ago," Duke said.</P>
<P>Duke lauded the actions of all officers involved, especially Vargas. "She was
on her bike during some of the foot chase, and then the other times she was on
foot." Duke said Peak fled through the Spence Hardware parking lot upon noticing
Vargas, crossed the Troy Highway, apparently saw other officers, came back
through the parking lot, crossed White Avenue and headed for Paradise Creek.</P>
<P>"Officer Vargas found him submerged in there trying to hide," Duke said, "at
which time he again took off."</P>
<P>The suspect reportedly jumped fences in the Johnson Street area and ran into
more officers, Duke said. "We had two officers over there, which caused him to
come back through the creek, run by the Mormon church, and that's when officer
Vargas tackled and apprehended him."</P>
<P>Police later retraced the route of the chase and found a pry bar, a
screwdriver, a penlight and a police scanner. "He was using the penlight like a
miner's headlamp," Duke said. "And he was listening to us while he was doing
this."</P>
<P>Peak remained in the Latah County Jail Wednesday night.</P>
<P>Dorion was originally charged with three counts of felony accessory to
burglary for allegedly helping Peak evade capture for a series of burglaries
between 2006 and 2008. The former sheriff ultimately served four months in
prison for concealing knowledge of a 2005 burglary at Lewiston High
School.</P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>