Suspect nabbed, bitten

COEUR d'ALENE — A 44-year-old Spokane man awaiting trial for being accused of forcing the grandson of a former Post Falls mayor to eat a lethal dose of methamphetamine was arrested last weekend for grand theft, eluding and other charges.

Shaun Patrick Kelly, who was arrested Saturday night, is accused of stealing a U-Haul truck and leading police on a foot chase before hiding inside a camper trailer on private property.

He was charged with two felonies, grand theft and eluding, and three misdemeanors — resisting, unlawful entry and petit theft. He was being held at the Kootenai County jail Tuesday on a $25,000 bond.

Kelly is also set to go to trial Oct. 2 in connection with the death of Evan Larkin, 22 and the grandson of Clay Larkin, previous mayor of Post Falls. Kelly faces life in prison if convicted.

During his arraignment last September, Kelly pleaded not guilty to three felony charges — second-degree murder, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and aggravated assault. He is accused of pointing a gun at Evan and making him consume a fatal dose of meth to prove he was not a police informant.

During Saturday's incident, a license identification system for stolen vehicles alerted dispatchers about such a vehicle on Interstate 90 just west of Northwest Boulevard in Coeur d'Alene

The stolen U-Haul was later reported westbound on Kathleen Avenue from Ramsey Road. Kelly and a suspect in burglaries and another vehicle theft in the Spokane area, allegedly attempted to elude police.

"It should be noted several calls came in from citizens reporting reckless driving," a police report states.

The truck was later found at Holy Family Catholic School, 3005 W. Kathleen Ave., on the north side of the building. The vehicle was left running and abandoned.

While other officers were en route to form a perimeter, two possible suspects were located in the area of Atlas and Seltice and fled police on foot.

An officer found a camper trailer on Buckskin locked, and when the owner was contacted, he told police it shouldn't have been locked.

Believing Kelly was hiding inside the trailer, officers requested he exit with his hands clear and was warned about a K-9 on scene, according to police. An officer then saw Kelly on the floor through a window.

A second door to the trailer was found to be open and, when Kelly couldn't be seen from that angle, a K-9 was deployed, allowing for an officer to arrest the suspect, the police report states.

An Apple Watch belonging to the owner of the trailer was found in one of Kelly's pockets, according to police. Kelly was also allegedly wearing a shirt owned by the property owner.

After Kelly was evaluated by medical personnel on scene for a bite on the right forearm from the K-9, he was transported to the hospital and then to jail.

Kelly told police he was renting the U-Haul, and he eluded officers because he was "scared."

Police said a female with Kelly, whom an officer identified, fled from the residence on Buckskin across the freeway.

The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office and Post Falls Police assisted during the incident.