Crash kills two, cuts power to thousands

OLYMPIA — A pickup truck smashed into a power pole near here early Friday, killing two people and cutting off power to 3,600 homes.

A third person in the truck was injured. Robert Nichol, 28, was in satisfactory condition at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia.

Authorities were not releasing the names of those who died — a 24-year-old man driving and a 25-year-old female passenger.

Alcohol was involved in the crash, state patrol Sgt. Kristine O’Shannon said. The driver and two passengers had been drinking at a tavern in Olympia before the 1 a.m. crash, O’Shannon said.

Republican resigns from House to be FEMA regional director: State Rep. John Pennington, a Republican leader, is resigning from the House to become regional director for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, overseeing FEMA operations in Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Idaho. Pennington has served in the state House for seven years. A Republican appointee will fill his seat until next November’s election. Democrats hold a one-vote majority in the House. His district, the 18th, includes parts of Lewis, Cowlitz and Clark counties.

Naked student arrested after rampage: A nude Evergreen State College freshman burst from a dorm and began assaulting people, striking two female students and a couple walking their dog before officers subdued him, campus police said. "It appears the individual was under the influence of drugs," said Art Costantino, vice president of student affairs. Four officers wrestled the student to the ground, although it wasn’t easy. "Just as a general thing, a naked, wet person is very slick," said Evergreen Officer Kirk Talmadge. The student, identified Thursday as Isiah Flowers, 18, was also put on emergency suspension.

Seattle

Plane held over 2 hours at Sea-Tac: Eva Air’s Flight 32, bound from Taiwan to Newark, N.J., was held for several hours at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Friday after an anonymous tipster told U.S. Customs Service agents there might be smallpox on board. A medic determined the passenger at issue — who was named by the tipster — did not have smallpox, airport spokesman Bob Parker said. The passenger had cold symptoms, he said. The plane’s 157 passengers and 14 crew were allowed to deplane at about 3:30 — some stretching their legs before continuing on to Newark, Parker said.

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