Suspect arrested for driving forklift into store's glass doors

Clare McGraw Valley Herald SPOKANE VALLEY – Deputies rushed to respond to a local store in the 16200 block of E. Broadway Avenue. The disturbance involved a suspect driving a forklift straight into the store’s glass doors, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. The culprit behind the chaos was identified as 54-year-old Matthew D. Fischer. Eyewitnesses recounted the incident, detailing how Fischer commandeered a store forklift from the garden center area. He maneuvered the vehicle, elevating its forks to chest/shoulder height before plowing it into the store’s sliding glass doors, shattering them into pieces. Store employees confronted Fischer as he sat motionless behind the wheel, seemingly unconscious. After a series of attempts, they managed to rouse him from his stupor. However, Fischer’s disoriented state and the evident smell of alcohol on his breath only added to the perplexity of the situation. Upon the arrival of law enforcement, Fischer’s condition further raised suspicions. He struggled to articulate coherent sentences, offering only fragmented recollections of his whereabouts and activities prior to the incident. With mounting evidence, including witness testimonies and surveillance footage, authorities swiftly established probable cause to charge Fischer with Malicious Mischief 1st Degree, a felony offense. The aftermath of Fischer’s rampage left the store facing a hefty financial burden, with repair estimates ranging between $5,000 to $7,000. Despite the chaos and damages inflicted, the motive behind Fischer’s destructive spree remains obscured, buried within the haze of his intoxicated state. Following his apprehension, Fischer was transported and booked into the Spokane County Jail, where he awaits further legal proceedings for his reckless actions.