A man was arrested in northeast Spokane yesterday after strangling his neighbor in a long running dispute over picking up after his dog. Dwight L Collins (61) was arrested and booked into Spokane County Jail for one count 2nd Degree Assault and one count 4thDegree Assault.
Yesterday, February 26, 2019, just before 4:00pm, Spokane Police were called to the 2100 block of East North Crescent Avenue on the report of two people who had just been assaulted. During the course of their investigation officers learned there had been an ongoing dispute between Collins and the victims who reside in the same apartment complex. At the crux of the issue was Collins refusal to pick up after his dog, although there were other things that added to the tension as well.
Prior to police being called, the female assault victim reported had heard something outside her apartment door. When she opened the door, she saw Collins spreading dog feces all over their door and the carpet in front of their door. When she told him to stop, Collins punched her in the side. Her husband then stepped in to stop the assault. He was wearing a long, thick chain link lanyard around his neck that held his keys. Collins grabbed onto the lanyard and used it to strangle the male victim.
Both victims were treated and released at the scene. Collins was taken into custody without incident and will be in court at 1:30 today.
If you find yourself in a dispute with a neighbor, your local Neighborhood Resource Officer or C.O.P.S. Shop can provide information and resources to help bring those issue to a peaceful resolve before things get too heated. For more information visit https://www.spokanecops.org/ or stop by your local C.O.P.S. substation or Precinct.
Cpl. Teresa Fuller| Swing Shift Patrol Team 5| Patrol PIO|Spokane Police Department