Parker Toyota Owner Arrested After Alleged Gun Threat in Parking Dispute

Doug Parker, the founder and owner of Parker Toyota, one of Coeur d'Alene's most established car dealerships, was arrested Saturday after he allegedly drew a revolver and pressed it against a man's chest during a dispute over a parking spot near the intersection of Poleline Avenue and Bighorn Road.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Parker produced the handgun and pushed it directly into the victim's chest during the confrontation. Multiple witnesses were present and corroborated the account, telling investigators what they observed during the encounter.

Parker spoke with law enforcement following the incident and admitted he had confronted the victim, but gave investigators statements that were inconsistent with one another and with the accounts provided by witnesses. Investigators cited those inconsistencies in the affidavit supporting his arrest.

Parker faces a felony charge stemming from the alleged threat. The affidavit outlines probable cause establishing the basis for that charge.

Parker co-founded what was then called Parker-Knudtsen Toyota with his wife Shirley and partner Wayne Knudtsen in November 1983. The dealership, originally at 2900 Government Way, grew into one of the region's largest Toyota franchises. It has operated at its current Kathleen Avenue location since 1991 and employs more than 150 people. Parker Toyota has received Toyota's President's Award, the manufacturer's top dealership recognition, multiple times.

The arrest marks a stark turn for one of Kootenai County's best-known business figures. As of Saturday, no additional details about the victim or the circumstances that triggered the parking confrontation had been released by law enforcement. The case is expected to proceed through Kootenai County courts.