Burglary suspects nabbed in Idaho

SANDPOINT — Two Washington state burglary suspects were arrested early Saturday morning after leading law enforcement on a low-speed chase that ended in Bonner County.

Christopher David O’Neel and Harry David Lashbrook are charged in Idaho with possession of methamphetamine and authorities in Pend Oreille County said the suspect face additional theft charges in that jurisdiction.

Lashbrook, a 49-year-old from Newport, and O’Neel, a 44-year-old from Spokane Valley, were ordered held Monday in lieu of $30,000 and $20,000 bail, respectively. Attorneys were appointed to represent the men in their Idaho cases, court records indicate.

Pend Oreille sheriff’s officials said deputies investigated a burglary near Bead Lake on Feb. 5. A vehicle, an all-terrain utility vehicle and other items were taken. A homeowner subsequently installed a new alarm system.

Thieves struck the same residence again early Saturday morning and deputies were on the lookout for a red pickup truck pulling a flatbed trailer and ATVs. A Pend Oreille sheriff’s deputy spotted the suspect vehicle driving south on LeClerc Creek Road and began following it.

The suspects refused to stop and fled into Idaho on U.S. Highway 2. Bonner County sheriff’s deputies joined the pursuit and set up a spike strip near the outskirts of Priest River, which disabled at least two of the truck’s tires and caused them to stop.

The flatbed had three ATVs and a Polaris snowmobile, all of which had been reported stolen.