Neighbor’s Dispute over Snow Removal Sends One Male to the Hospital and the other to Jail
Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies charged one person for Assault 2nd Degree after he assaulted his neighbor during an argument over where to put excess snow. The victim, who sustained “substantial bodily harm” during the assault, was treated at a hospital for his injuries and later released.
On February 15, 2019, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a reported assault in the 6600 block of N. Whitehouse.
Deputies learned the adult victim (late 60s) was clearing snow from his backyard shed and placing it on the edge of the alleyway. The victim stated the snow had been thrown onto his shed by 48-year-old Michael P. Jones, who used a snow blower to clear the alley. The victim said he tried to talk to Jones a couple of weeks ago and thanked him for clearing the alley but also asked him not to throw snow on the victim’s shed and fence. Jones’ only reply was (expletive) off.
Tonight, Jones can home, reemerged from his garage with his snow blower, and began throwing the snow back onto the victim’s property. The victim put his shovel in front of Jones’ path to stop him, and Jones ran the shovel over which caused the snow blower to tip over. Jones tackled the victim to the ground and began punching him in the head/face. He also used his weight to drop his knees onto the victim’s rib area while he was on the ground.
The victim was transported to the hospital, via ambulance, for head and rib injuries sustained during the assault and was treated and released.
After the assault, Jones went back to his residence where Deputies contacted him. Jones said he has been clearing snow from his disabled neighbor’s property with his snow blower. Tonight, Jones said he observed the victim throwing snow from his (victim’s) property back onto Jones’ neighbor’s property. Jones went out to clear the snow off again and stated the victim ripped the snow chute from his snow blower. He claimed he and the victim fell to the ground, but he wasn’t sure how that occurred. He also denied any assault took place.
Deputies did observe the chute of Jones’ snow blower sitting on his workbench.
Initially, Jones was arrested for Assault 4th Degree and booked into the Spokane County Jail. The misdemeanor charge was dropped, and a felony charge of Assault 2nd Degree was added after Deputies learned of the extent of the victim’s injuries.