Coeur d'Alene Police Searching For Assault Suspect - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

Coeur d'Alene Police Department Press Release:

On 021013 at 1:53pm Coeur d'Alene Police responded to the area of 4^th St. and Montana Ave. for the report of an assault with a knife that had just occurred. Officers contacted a 38 year-old male victim who was bleeding from his hands. He had a slice type of cut on the tip of his left pinky finger and a slice type of cut on the tip of his right ring finger.

The male stated that he had just been assaulted by another male that he had given a ride to in his vehicle. Victim Scott Charles said he agreed to give his friend Chris Kaiser a ride to run an errand due to previously living in a halfway house together.   While doing that Kaiser asked him to give some of his other friends a ride from Hastings parking lot to an address on 7th St. He picked up Kaiser, two other males, and two younger females at Hastings parking lot and gave them a ride in his minivan.

The male suspect Christopher J. Bennett, 20 years of age of Rathdrum, rode in the back seat behind the driver Scott Charles. Charles said while he was driving the male handed him a ring box and said he was going to go pawn the ring. Charles opened up the box and remarked to Bennett that the box was empty. Charles stated that Bennett started accusing him of stealing the ring and reached forward, and held a knife blade against his throat. Charles said he reached up with both hands and pried it away from his throat which caused the blade to cut his fingers. Charles said at that point another male in the back seat leaned forward into the front seat and presented another knife, which Charles believed he was going to stab into his stomach.

Charles said he jumped out the driver's door and scrambled to the sidewalk. The two females and his friend Kaiser also exited the van and took off running toward Safeway. Charles said Bennett jumped into the driver seat, the male passenger got into the front passenger seat, and Bennett drove away in Charles' van.

Within five minutes of the assault officers located the victims gold Chrysler Voyager Van behind the Safeway Store at 1001 N. 4^th. Both suspects had abandoned the vehicle.

Additional male suspect described as a white male, curly brown hair, mid 20's, 5'Oclock shadow facial hair, wearing dark colored baseball hat, which appeared to be too big, and was worn sideways.

Assault with a knife: Wanted suspect Christopher J. Bennett, 20 years old of Rathdrum, ID. Has an active warrant for a previous charge of reckless driving.

Additional male suspect described as a white male, curly brown hair, mid 20's, 5'Oclock shadow facial hair, wearing dark colored baseball hat, which appeared to be too big, and was worn sideways.

Anyone with information on this crime, or the whereabouts of the two make suspects are asked to call the Coeur d'Alene Police Department at 208-769-2320.