Blazing a trail straight to jail

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff writer

SPIRIT LAKE — Talk about being in the hot seat.

Terry L. Glinnon, 65, Spirit Lake, was arrested last Friday because of an incident that occurred May 11 while he was being transported to Kootenai County Jail.

During the transport, Glinnon is accused of lighting a vented hood and putting it under the driver's seat of a Spirit Lake Police patrol car while en route to jail.

"The officer smelled a burning smell emanating from inside the car and saw smoke in the prisoner compartment," a police report says about the May 11 incident. "Officer (Dave) Koontz used his hands to snub out the flames and swept the burning debris out... Glinnon was grabbed and pulled out of the car for his own safety and detained on the ground while cover officers from Post Falls arrived to assist."

Glinnon allegedly started the fire with a lighter that hadn’t been found during the pat-down search of his arrest. The hood had been placed over Glinnon's head after he allegedly spat at officers and inside the patrol car. Police said Glinnon was uncooperative with officers and hospital staff throughout the May 11 transport process and had to have the hood placed over his head multiple times and a hobble around his ankles to prevent further kicking.

"Physical damage to the vehicle from the incident includes several melted and burned spots to the plastic cage seat and seat belts," the report states.

Glinnon was arrested again last Friday at his Spirit Lake home on Second Avenue on a warrant for aggravated assault, first-degree arson and obstructing an officer, all stemming from the May 11 transport. He was being held at the jail Tuesday on $50,000 bond.

"We learned of Glinnon’s (earlier) release and had information that he was back living at his residence in Spirit Lake," said Heather McDaniel, the police department's spokeswoman. "He was spotted outside (on Friday). Due to the incidents with Glinnon in the car during his transport, we requested the (warrant)."

Glinnon was initially arrested on an out-of-state warrant after he claimed he had been attacked and robbed by two men and stabbed in the neck at the public boat launch in Spirit Lake. Glinnon had an obvious stab wound on his neck and was "highly intoxicated," according to police. However, police found no evidence that Glinnon had been attacked or robbed.