Avista employee allegedly shot at

COEUR d’ALENE — An Avista employee may have been inadvertently shot at as he headed to a power pole in rural Kootenai County Friday morning east of Coeur d’Alene.

Randel E. Mann, of Coeur d’Alene, an employee of the power company, told deputies he was attempting to check a utility pole around 10:30 a.m. Friday near East Alder Creek Road and South Wolf Lodge Creek Road about 8 miles east of Coeur d’Alene when he heard gunshots.

The two shots seemed to be fired in his direction and he thought he heard one of the shots impact the ground 20 feet away, Mann told a deputy.

He did not see anyone nearby, Mann told deputies, but yelled out, and heard what sounded like someone yelling back at him, he said.

Mann said the shots may have been fired by hunters, although there are no open big game rifle seasons in that unit. He thought the rifle shots were made by a 30-caliber, possibly a .308 rifle. He told deputies.

Sheriff’s Office deputies responding to the area found no one hunting or carrying a firearm and did not see any signs of a bullet striking the ground near the power pole.

Deputy Brad Wolfinger said he asked Mann if he would press charges if any suspects were found.

“Mann informed me that he wanted to know why he was being shot at, and that would determine if he pressed charges,” Wolfinger wrote in his report.

The deputy was unable to determine if an assault occurred, or if the shots had been fired because of unsafe shooting practices.

Avista officials said Monday they were unaware of the incident but would check into it.