Local suspect booked on assault in Spokane

A local man wanted here for a November armed robbery of the Smoke Shop in Coulee Dam was arrested over the weekend by police in Spokane, where he was allegedly involved in what is thought was a gang-related double shooting, the Spokesman Review newspaper reported.

Spokane police arrested Phillip Cody Ruiz, 23, early Saturday, and, later that day, another man, Daniel J. Dublin, 33, on two counts of first-degree assault after two people were sent to a Spokane hospital with gunshot wounds. Both were reported in critical condition but expected to survive.

The report, by the Spokesman Review Newspaper, stated that police think the incidents are all gang related.

Shot were Apolonio J. J. Saldana, 27, receiving injuries to his right elbow, right thigh and left upper thigh; and Tony I. Figueroa, 35, with two gunshot wounds to his lower stomach and one to his right hand.

Two others received injuries in separate incidents. Jared B. Frye, 34, suffered blunt force trauma to his head and body; Nicholas A. DeCaro, 34, was reported to have been hit on the head.

Ruiz appeared Monday before Spokane County Superior Court Judge James Triplet, who ordered him held on a charge of first-degree assault unless he can post a $200,000 bond. Dubin’s court appearance has been delayed.

Detectives in the case, according to the newspaper report, said that the shooting incident occurred in the 300 block of E. Liberty, about 4 a.m. Saturday morning.

Court documents stated that Ruiz revealed the shootings had been in retaliation for an incident that occurred two weeks earlier. Officers found Ruiz walking on North Atlantic Street. A man found with Ruiz said that he had tried to sell him a 9mm handgun. Police went to a motel where Ruiz had been staying and recovered the 9mm handgun.

Coulee Dam Police have sought Ruiz since a witness identified him as the person who held up the Smoke Shop in Coulee Dam.

The incident there occurred on Nov. 27. He was identified by a store clerk, who stated that Ruiz had been a customer on several occasions.

She told police at the time that Ruiz indicated he had a gun as he had his hand in his coat pocket and asked for the cash.

Ruiz got about $1,200, owner Billy Nicholson told police.

Coulee Dam and Tribal Police had been looking for Ruiz since November.