A Louisiana triple-murder suspect, believed to be headed to California, was captured in Lewiston Friday night.

Lewiston Police say Robert McCoy, 34, was caught riding as a passenger in a Swift Transportation truck in the Normal Hill area.

McCoy is the prime suspect in the slayings of his estranged wife’s 17-year-old son and her parents Monday night in Bossier City, Louisiana. He is believed to have killed them during a search for his wife, who remains in protective custody.

Bossier City police say McCoy eluded authorities for nearly four days by fleeing to Texas, Arkansas and Washington, traveling as a passenger in 18-wheelers. Authorities tracked the truck McCoy was in to Spokane and notified Idaho State Police he was headed their way.

Officers spotted the vehicle and both LPD and ISP patrol cars surrounded the vehicle in the 500 block of Sixth Avenue. McCoy was taken into custody without incident, while the truck driver was not charged.

A .380-caliber pistol was retrieved from behind the passenger seat of the truck, and Louisiana authorities believe the gun was used in the Bossier City murders.

McCoy was booked into the Nez Perce County Jail on three murder warrants and may face a charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. McCoy will be extradited back to Louisiana this week.

A 14-year-old Lewiston boy has been sentenced to probation and community service for his involvement in damaging headstones at Lewiston’s Normal Hill Cemetery.

The teen was charged with felony malicious injury to property after he and two others caused thousands of dollars of damage to over 170 headstones in early April.  He was given a suspended sentence of 180 days in the Nez Perce County Juvenile Detention Center, three years’ probation, and 180 hours of community service.

The boy was on probation for a previous charge, and sentenced this week to serve 90 days in the juvenile detention center on a probation violation.

Steven Goss, 19, and a 15-year-old boy are also charged in the incident. Goss is scheduled to be in court May 28 for a probable cause hearing in the case, while the status of the 15-year-old’s case is unclear.

An advisory report to be presented to the Lewiston City Council on Monday recommends that council members reject a proposal by Valley Transit to continue providing bus service to residents.

The city’s community development director suggest that the city can run the program for less money than what Valley Transit proposed in its April 18 outline to continue its operation of a single-loop bus service and dial-a-ride, door-to-door services. Valley Transit’s proposed five-year budget totals about $6.4 million, without new services, while the report claims the city can carry out the same program for an estimated $2.45 million, using what appears to be 6 percent annual increases plus $130,000 for a new route in fiscal year 2011.

Valley Transit officials acknowledge their higher bid, saying it includes the flexibility to take potential cost increases for the commodities, goods and services into account.

Nine buses are charged to Lewiston’s service, which has one fixed route that operates from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week, plus dial-a-ride buses and backups.

Lewis-Clark State’s Ikaika Lester has been named the Region I Baseball Player of the Week for his performance in three games against Oregon Tech last weekend. The versatile senior from Hawaii, went 4-for-9 in the three games with two home runs, six RBI and four runs scored.

Lester provided the late-game heroics in the first game of a double header Saturday hitting a walk-off home run that gave the Warriors a 2-1 win. He then hit a grand-slam home run in the second game on his way to a 3 for 3 day at the plate with three runs scored and 5 RBI.

Lester is now eligible for NAIA National Player of the Week honors, which will be announced on Wednesday.

The Nez Perce Tribe has started a bus service connecting Lewiston to Kooskia and other areas to help workers get to the Clearwater River Casino, the tribe’s headquarters in Lapwai, and jobs in Lewiston.

Officials say the so-called “Appaloosa Express” will serve both tribal and non-tribal members. They began running Monday from Lewiston to Lapwai, Orofino to Lapwai, and from Orofino to Kooskia.

A monthly pass to ride the bus costs $20. People 55 and older can get a discounted pass for $15 a month.

The tribe received $250,000 from a tribal transit program started by the Federal Transit Administration.

A Lewiston girl has died from her injuries suffered in Monday night’s hit-and-run accident, and the suspect in the case has been arrested.

According to the Lewiston Police Department, Sydney Byrd, 8, and Gregory Engel, 54, were both hit by a white van that drove into their apartment complex driveway at a high rate of speed at around 7:40 p.m. The vehicle left the scene through an alleyway without stopping.

Byrd and Engel were both taken to St, Joseph Regional Medical Center with serious injuries – Byrd died of extensive head injuries.

Police located the van in Clarkston and identified the driver as James Schuetze, 45. He was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated, driving on a suspended license, and felony leaving the scene of an accident.

The investigation has been referred to the Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office for review and more charges are possible.

The Lewis-Clark State men’s basketball program will hold its second annual free Pig Roast Sunday afternoon on the Activity Center patio adjacent to Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho. Warrior men’s basketball coach Tim Walker says the barbecue-style event serves as a nice way to recognize the team and the fans for their support throughout the year.

LC Coach Tim Walker comments

The pig roast is open to all basketball fans and will feature barbecued pork, beans, coleslaw, chips, cookies, soda and water. For more information, contact the LCSC Athletic Department at (208) 792-2275.

The Lewis-Clark State baseball team closes out the home portion of the regular season schedule this weekend with a four-game Region I series against Oregon Tech. The 2nd ranked Warriors have stretched their winning streak to 15 games and are 44-4 overall. OIT is 21-27 overall, but has won 5 of its last 7 games and will end the year this weekend. Double-headers are scheduled for Saturday at 1pm PDT and Sunday at 11am at Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho with live coverage on Talk Radio 950 KOZE-AM and on-line at koze-sports.com.