Sleeping at the car wash

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

POST FALLS — At the car wash … but for more than four hours?

A resident's instincts that the same car parked at a Post Falls car wash bay for that long seemed suspicious proved to be spot on.

The driver, Sean M. Wright, 34, was slumped over when police responded to the business at 2450 E. Seltice Way at 2:40 a.m. and the white 2009 Lexus GS 350 was running.

After waking up to repeated knocks on the window by an officer, Wright was arrested for felony possession of heroin.

"Sean advised he was super tired and did not know he had been parked for so long," the police report states. "While speaking to Sean, I observed his eyes to be glassy, his eyelids were droopy, his pupils were constricted, his voice was low and raspy and he complained of dry mouth."

The awakening finally came after the reporting party told police he also knocked on the window several times before responders arrived because the driver appeared to be passed out.

The male told the officer that he noticed the same vehicle parked in the same spot at the car wash when he drove by more than four hours earlier, so he stopped to check on the occupant.

Police said Wright's driver's license through New Mexico was suspended.

"I re-contacted Sean at his car (after initial questioning) and, when I walked up, he was asleep once again," the report states.

The officer said 4.4 grams of black tar heroin was found in a container that was in Wright's pocket.

During a search of the vehicle, drug paraphernalia was found along with several clothes that still had the plastic security tabs attached. Wright told police he purchased the clothing items from a female friend known for stealing items and selling them for half price.

Wright posted a $25,000 bond on Sunday to be released from the Kootenai County Jail.